Japanese paper crafting michael g lafosse

THIS BOOK ISDEDICATEDWITH LOVE and special appreciation tomymother, Betty LaFosse, who encouraged me from my earliest memories toexplore creative playwith paper.Her sense of style and her taste for elegantdesignhasinspiredmyart,andIcontinuetocreatethingsthatwebothenjoy.

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PublishedbyTuttlePublishing,animprintofPeriplusEditions(HK)Ltd.,witheditorialofficesat364InnovationDrive,NorthClarendon,Vermont05759U.S.A.

Copyright©2007MichaelG.LaFosse

Allrightsreserved.Nopartofthispublicationmaybereproducedorutilizedinanyformorbyanymeans,electronicormechanical,includingphotocopying,recording,orbyanyinformationstorageandretrievalsystem,withoutpriorwrittenpermissionfromthepublisher.

LibraryofCongressCataloging-in-PublicationDataLaFosse,MichaelG.Japanesepapercrafting:create17papercraftprojects&makeyourownbeautifulwashipaper/MichaelG.LaFosse,withRichardL.Alexander,andGregMudarri.p.cm.

http://www.tuttlepublishing.com

http://www.periplus.com

Includesbibliographicalreferences.ISBN:978-1-4629-0812-7(ebook)1.Paperwork.2.Paper,Handmade.3.Japanesepaper.I.Alexander,RichardL.,1953-II.Mudarri,Greg,1981-III.Title.TT870.L23372007745.54--dc22

2007009553

Firstedition12111009080710987654321

PrintedinHongKong

PhotoCredits(Pagenumberscorrespondtotheprintedition.)MichaelG.LaFosse:pp.6,12–14(withGregMudarri);30(step12),31(steps17,18),72GregMudarri:pp.6,12–14(withMichaelG.LaFosse);51(Seigaiha),56,58,59,62,63,65,73–75,83–87,101RichardL.Alexander:AllotherphotographsSuminagashipatternsshownonp.14arebyMarshaDuPre.

TUTTLEPUBLISHING®isaregisteredtrademarkofTuttlePublishing,adivisionofPeriplusEditions(HK)Ltd.

TACKNOWLEDGMENTS

hisbookwouldnothavebeenpossibleifnotforthehelpandinputfromRichard L. Alexander and Greg Mudarri, my colleagues at OrigamidoStudio.Theyhelpedmewiththetext,thephotos,andeventheselection,

design,andtestingoftheprojects.First,IwouldliketothankRichard,mypartnerandco-founderofOrigamido

Studio,whotookovermanyoftheorigamiteachingdutiesasIworkedoutthediagramsandthehow-tosteps.Healsotookmostofthephotographs,juriedtheprojects,andhelpedselectthewashiweusedtomakethem.

I am also indebted to Greg Mudarri, who had recently returned from afifteen-monthstay inJapanwherehewas teachingEnglishandfoldingpaper.Greghadbeenstudyingandworkingwithussince2003,sohewasabletojumprightinandlendhisexpertiseforthepresentationofthetraditionalprojectsthatIwantedtoshowinthisbook,includingtheNoshiandSenbazuruprojects.

Finally,IwouldliketothankHollyJenningsandSandraKorinchak,senioreditorsatTuttlePublishing,fortheirpatienceandguidancethroughtheprocess.Tuttlehasbeenagreatfriendtopeoplewholovefinepaper,paperfolding,andthesimpleeleganceoftraditionalJapaneseculture.Iamgratefultheygavemetheopportunitytocreatesuchaninterestingcollectionofbeautiful,useful,andfunprojects.

CONTENTS

Acknowledgments3Introduction7

WASHI

THEMAGNIFICENT“SKIN”OFJAPAN

TheSpecialQualitiesofWashi9ABriefHistoryofWashi10KindsofWashi12UsesforWashi14

MAKINGWASHI

PreparingthePulp20Tame-zuki:“RetainingMethod”ofPapermaking26Nagashizuki:SheetFormingTechnique32Adding Embedded Objects: Handmade Paper with Flower Inclusions39

PREPARINGWASHIFORUSE

FoldedTie-DyedWashi42Back-Coating46

PROJECTS

HONOREDTRADITIONS

JapaneseOrigamiCrane52OrigamiPeaceCranes56

Senbazuru:“ThousandCranes”57Ehiroi58Imoseyama60Seigaiha62

Noshi(Tsutsumi)64HanaTsutsumi65NoshiAwabi66

CELEBRATEDFRIENDSHIPS

SailboatEnvelope72MasuBox76WalletorClutchPurse82Crane’sEggModularBox88

PERSONALIZEDSPACES

Tato94VaseCover97DesktopOrganizer(Pen/Pencil/BrushHolder)101“Ceramic”FormwithChigiri-e104TulipBowl110HurricaneBowl115Sewn-BoundWashiBook120

Bibliography&Resources127SymbolsKey128

PINTRODUCTION

aper is my favorite art material, and some of my most favorite paper,calledwashi,wasdeveloped in Japan.Thisbook is forpeoplewhoalsolovewashiandotherhigh-qualityhandmadepapers.AtOrigamidoStudio

wehavebeenmakingpaper, teachingothershowtomakepaperbyhand,andmaking art from fine papers for over ten years.Our students, customers, andvisitorsalsofallinlovewithhandmadepapers,butinthebeginningtheyseempuzzled aboutwhat they could dowith it. Some even lament an addiction tofine papers—“I have stacks ofwonderful, handmade papers frommy travels,butIneverseemtouseanyofit!”

Thisbookisforpapercrafters,artists,bookbinders,interiordesigners,andespeciallythosewhoareinterestedinmakingtheirown,finepapersforartsandcrafts. Beginning students at our hand papermaking classes often think theycouldnevermaketheirownpaper.Doweexpecteverybodythatbuysthisbooktomaketheirownwashi-likepaper?Ofcoursenot,butifsoinclined,thosewhochoose todosowill find thisbookan invaluablehelp,andallofyouwillbearmedwithmoreproductinformationasyoushopthepaperstores.

Thisbookisforallofyou!Wewillshowyouhowtoenjoyyourcollectionof washi by properly preparing it by dyeing, stiffening, and buildingcomposites.Many of the projects involve folding, others use tearing, and insome the papers are shaped and formed after moistening. In any event, thewashi eventually becomes a cherished gift to a friend or loved one, orsomethingwonderfulyoucanenjoyinyourownhomeoratwork.

TWASHI

TheMagnificent“Skin”ofJapan

he word “washi” is a combination of two Japanese words,wa and shi.Takenliterally,“wa”means“peace,”and“shi”means“paper.”However,whenusedtogether, theyhavecometomean“Japanesepaper,”withthe

“wa”prefixnowrepresentingtheessenceofJapaneseculture.Nowhereelsebutin Japan does a culture seem so intimately associated with fine papers. Forcenturies, the Japanese have embraced the exploration of paper’s potential.Throughthisexploration,theysoonrealizedthatwashicouldbecomesomanythings, including clothing, lanterns, parasols, fans, windows, room screens,masks,andceremonialdecorations.

Japanesehandmadepapersareasbeautiful,genuine,andinterestinglyvariedasJapanitself.Thepatternschosentodecoratewashiaretypicallyiconsoftherich Japanese culture, landscape, and history. Likewashi, Japan can show itsbright colors, bustling noise, and excitement, but it can also show its softer,natural, tranquil side. From bright, silk kimono–inspired Yuzen patterns tosubdued,creamy,silkywhorls,washioffersamagnificent“skin”thatexpressesanddefinesJapan.

Washiisbeautiful,notonlyonthesurfacebutthroughout:Washi’sinherentcharacter tends to shine through, evenwhen its surface is printed, painted, ordyed.Itssimplebeautybeliestheextraordinaryefforttakentocreateluxuriouspaperwithsoftandsupplestrength.

Washi is not only beautiful but endlessly varied. Its raw materials areproductsoftheEarth,andthethreemajorspeciesofplantsharvestedtobecomewashi— Kozo, Mitsumata, and Gampi—are each unique, making their owninimitable contribution to the finalproduct.Geography, topography, and localweatherconditionsaffect theseplants,whichcangrowquitedifferently in thevarious regionsof Japan, andadd to the individualpersonalitiesof thepaper.These subtle differences in fine papers, like scrumptious foods and exquisitewines, do indeed enhance a civilized life. The Japanese people have long

realized this and seem to respect high-quality paper perhaps a bit more thanothersdo.SoIcallwashithemagnificent“skin”ofJapanforthesereasons,butyoudonothavetobeJapanesetoappreciate,make,orusewashi.

THESPECIALQUALITIESOFWASHITherearecountlessdifferentkindsofwashi,yettherearecertainrecognizablequalities that set it apart from similar, western-style papers. People whoencounterwashi for the first time remark that it resembles clothmore than itdoespaper,whichisprobablyafairassessmentduetoitssoftness,bothinlookand feel. Although washi may feel soft, if made correctly it is exceedinglystrong,evenwhenwet.Itsfoldingandtensilestrengthmeasurementsareoftenquitehigh,duetothelengthandqualityofthefibers.Itsstrengthallowswashitobeemployedasabasicmaterialforfabricatingastaggeringrangeofdurable,utilitarian,anddecorativeitems.

Theoverridingelementthatmakeswashisodifferentfromotherpaperisthatwashihasarefinedbeauty,foundeveninitscoarserforms.Certainly,someofthisspecialbeautyresultsfromthecareinselecting,harvesting,handling,andprocessing the fiber, butmuch comes from the skill of the papermaker.Mostagree that the painstaking labor of making washi by the time-honored,traditionalhandmethodsresultsinpaperthatrevealstheinherenthonestyofthematerials.SoetsuYanagiwrote,in“Washinobi”(TheBeautyofWashi),“Themore beautiful it is themore difficult it is, tomake trivial use of it.”This isperhaps the greatest stumbling block formost peoplewho love and purchasewashi: It is too beautiful to use! Sure, you can frame it, or just keep it indrawersandlookatiteverysooften,butwashibegstobeused,andthisbookpresentsaseriesofdelightfulprojectsthatcanhelpyouprovideasuitablestageforitsfullappreciation.

Most people limit their thinking about usingwashi to simplywrapping orcoveringthings,butwithsomeclevertechniqueswashicomesalivewithshapeandform.Evenartistsandcraftspeoplewhoroutinelyuseotherpaper in theirworkenjoythequalitiesofwashi,yettheyoftenavoiditbecauseofitssoftness,opting for stiffer, machine-made papers. The fact is that, even though mostwashiwearsquitewell,itoftenmustbelined,backed,orstiffenedbeforeuse.This book will show you how to prepare your washi for all manner of

applications.Thisandotheressentialpreparation techniqueswillallowyoutogreatlyexpandthepossibilitiesforusingwashiinyourartworkorincorporatingitintoyoursurroundingstolivenupandenrichyoureverydaylifeathomeoratwork. These techniques are not complex, but few books explain them. Nowondersomuchofthefinestpaperssitunusedinthedark.

ABRIEFHISTORYOFWASHIScholarsbelievethatpapermakingbeganinChinaperhapstwenty-onecenturiesago. It is likely that themethodofmakingsheetsoffeltedplant fiberbecameknowninJapanperhapsfiveorsixcenturieslaterbywayoftradewithKorea.Certainly,papermakingmethodsflourishedalongtheSilkRoadtraderoutestotheMiddleEast,becausepaperwasasusefulforwrappingandseparatingitemsforsaleasitwasfordocumentingthetradetransactions.

There are a staggering number of books about handmade paper andpapermaking,manywith instructions about how tomakepaper out of almostanykindofplantandrecycledfibers.Thosebooksarenotaboutwashi.Noveltypaperssuchasthosemadefromgrasses,leaves,orweedshavetheircharm,butthefactisthatpaperassuppleyetasstrongandasversatileaswashiisjustnotpossiblefrommostplants.

Makingwashiissomewhatakintomakingfinewine.Certaintypesofwashiare made in specific regions of Japan and often carry the names of thoselocations,muchasfinewinesmaybenamedforthespecificregionsinEuropewhere special grapes were cultivated and unique winemaking methods weredeveloped to process those particular grapes. Likewise, the choicest paper isskillfullymadefromonlyspecificsectionsofcarefullycultivatedandharvestedplants, grown in just the right regions, harvested at just the right time. Thegrowinglocationiscritical,becausetheclimatedictatestheplant’sgrowthrate.The process selected for making a particular type of washi depends on thecharacteristics of the source materials, so it must be adjusted and refinedaccordingly.Therearesomanyvariables inmakingwashi that theanalogyofmakingfinewineisnottoofaroffthemark.

Washiisproducedbyprocessingselectbastfibersfromonlyafewspeciesofplants, particularly from the paper mulberry (Kozo),Mitsumata, and Gampi.These bast fibers come from the clean, nearly white, inner bark layer, also

calledthephloem(notthedark,outerbark).Underamicroscope,thephloemisa complex, lacey plant tissue, a system of specialized cells including verticalsieveelements,with sieveplates locatedat the topandat thebottomendsoftheselong,skinnycells.Therearealsocompanioncellssurroundingthesieveelements, thought to provide nourishment and functional control of thetransportation and movements of sugar and mineral solutions. This tissueachievesarapidtransportoffluidsbetweencells.

Incontrast,ontheinnersideofthegrowing,cambiumlayerofcells,arethewoody tissues, including thexylemand thepithy, structuralcore.These layersconsist of stiffer, tougher, and thicker cellulose, with smaller cell walls thatbecomewoodyfromamorphous,polymericdepositsmadebytheplant.Thesewoody tissues require a greater amount of processing, both mechanical andchemical, to make even a low-grade paper, such as that used for disposablenapkins,toiletandfacialtissue,orinexpensiveofficepaper.

Inthewashi-makingprocess,afterthestemsarecut,thebarkisstrippedoffthewood,thebastfibersareseparatedfromthedarkerbark,andthethin,green,growing layerofundifferentiatedcambiumis scrapedaway.At this stage, thefiber is often dried and shipped to processors. Processing the bast fibers byboilinginacaustic(alkalinechemical)solutiondigests,andallowstheremovalof,thecambiumandcompanioncellprotoplasm.Bitsofbark,lignin,andsemi-digestedcambiumstilladheretothemashandmustberemoved,oftenbyhandwith tweezers. Boiling thus makes it easier to clean, separate, and splay theremainingtubesofsieveelementtissue.Thefrayingofthesestrong,longfibersinthebeatingprocessallowsthemtoknittogetherinatangledmatasthesheetof paper is being formed. This increased surface area becomes “hydrated”during beating, which allows these sites to be attracted to each other byhydrogen-bonding. The length and strength of fibers, the correct degree ofhydration,andtheintimacyofphysicalentanglementmakesforstrong,supplewashi.

Expert papermakers were so fastidious about removing any contamination(orchiri)anddiscardedsomuchusefulcellulosewiththewastethattheywereabletomakelow-gradepaperwiththedregs.Thisiscalledchirigami.Becausethebestpaper-makersrejectedmoreimpurities,andthusmorebastalongwiththem,eventheirwastepaperwasstrong.Itwassaidthatthebestwaytojudgea

papermakerwastoevaluatethequalityofhischirigami.Today,thesepapersareappreciated for the flecks and bits of impurities that lend chirigami a rustic,earthyquality.

KINDSOFWASHIAlthoughtherearedozensoftypesofwashi,thissectiondescribesthegeneralcategoriesofwashi thatyouare likely to find today.Traditionally,washiwasformed and treated in special ways to produce paper for different purposes,thereforewithdifferentqualities.Maniai-shiincludedpaperwithclayaddedtokeepitfrompuckering,especiallyusefulwhenthepaperwillbehungfromthewallasbackingforartworkorasign.Waterproofpapersmadebyoilingwashiwith rapeseed were used for packaging, umbrellas, and raincoats. Tougher,thickerpapersweremadefortagsandcards,whilethinnerpapers,calledusuyo-shi, were primarily used for filtration, packaging delicate items, and artfulwrapping.

There are excellent books onwashi that break thesemajor categories intoseveral subsets of washi types. Though the names of the same papers indifferent locations and countries have changed over time, resulting in someconfusion,thisbookusesthemostrecentandcommontradenames,whichyouarelikely tofindincatalogs,ontheInternet,andinpapershops.In thisbookwe will focus on the techniques that will help you use washi successfully,regardless of its common name or makeup. The following descriptions andphotoswillhelpyoutoidentifyandselecttheproperwashiforeachprojectandgiveyouan ideaabout the typesofwashi-likepapersyoumaywish tomakeyourself.

Naturalwashi iswhite to tan in color and ismade fromone ormore of thethree traditional washi fiber sources: Gampi (Wikstroemia diplomorpha),Mitsumata (Edgeworthia chrysantha), and Kozo (Broussonetia papyrifera).Naturalwashimaybebrightenedbydryinginthesunlight,butitisusuallynotcoloredbyadditivessuchasdyes,pigments,orclay.

Dyed washi is available in many colors and weights. Dyes, however, areusuallynotlight-fast,sobecarefulbeforeyouchoosesolid-coloredwashiforaprojectyouwanttodisplayinsunlightorkeepforgenerations.

Chirigami is naturalwashiwith chopped bits of the dark bark included.Theresultisarustic-lookingpaper,fleckedwithdarkflakesandstrands.

Chiyogamiwashi is decorated with patterns, animals, flowers, symbols, andauspiciousicons,toillustratetraditionalcelebrationsandthechangingseasons.Itistraditionallyprintedusingwoodblocktechniques.Chiyogamistenciledwithkimono fabric–inspiredpatterns, calledyuzen, is alsopopular.Traditionally, aseparatestencilorwoodblockisusedforeachcolor.

Tie-dyedand/orfold-dyedwashi iscolorful,oftenwithkaleidoscopicpatternsthat are produced by folding, twisting, tying, and dying the paper. Elaboratepatterns result when the process is repeated using different dyes and otherphysicalrestraints,masks,orresists.

Momigamiiswashithathasbeencrumpledbyhandtogivethepapertexture.A special paste, made from konnyaku starch from the root of theAmorphophallus konjac plant, is then applied, usually to one side only. Thepaper is then crumpled, opened, and crumpled again. Done repeatedly, theprocess develops an intricate surface texture, similar to crepe paper, and thesheetshrinksinsize.

Unryuwashi,alsoknownasunryushi,haslargepiecesofpartiallybeatenfibersincluded for texture, which create a floating cloud-like effect. Sometimes,patternedscreensareraisedthroughthevatoffibersandthenappliedtoplainsheetsofwashi; theseelementsoften resemblea“fiber-optic”effect,catchinglightinbeautifulpatternsofshimmeringsilkiness.

Suminagashi,meaningflowingink,ismarbledwashimadebyfloatingcoloredswirlsofinksonwater.Asthewashiiscarefullylaidontheinkswirls,thecoloris takenup into thewashi,which is thendried.Thesedelicatepastel patternsformpleasing,serendipitousdesigns.

USESFORWASHI

Washi can be used for nearly everything, but, before you begin a project,considerthefollowinghistoricalperspective.

CeremonialUseandFormalDocumentsProbablytheoldestuseforwashi isforspecialceremonialuseandforformaldocuments.Even today, thepaperused for treaties,certificates,and importantawards is oftenmadewith special fibers and careful processes, because it isexpectedtolastformanygenerations.

WritingandCalligraphyWritingandcalligraphyarearts thatdemandpapersof the finestqualities forpermanence and elegance. In particular, shodo, Japanese brush calligraphy,requiresspecificqualitiesofpapertoproperlyhandlethestyleofinksused.Thewashichosenshouldgivethecalligraphylife,workinginconcertwithit,ratherthanbecomingsubjectedbytheformsofthecalligraphiccharacters.Theremustbebalance,andstrongcalligraphyrequiresmore“whitespace”togiveitroomtobreathe.Withwashi, that“whitespace”becomesanintegralelementof thepiece,andnotjustemptiness.

ShojiScreensThe shoji screen is much more than a room partition or divider. For theJapanese, itorganizes life itself intopleasant, illuminated,harmoniousspaces.These versatile paper walls were originally erected as stand-alone structures,butlatertheyweremadetoeasilyslideopenorclosed,quicklyandefficientlyconvertingspaceasmoreorlesswasneeded.Shadowsandsoundsplayonthescreen’spanelstoenhancethemoodofthespace.Washiusedforshojiscreensisparticularlycleanandstrong.Afterseveralmonthstoayear,itisrepairedorreplaced,muchaswesternersspruceup their roomswithanewcoatofpaint.Simplyhangingbeautifulpiecesofwashiinwindowswithlessthanpicturesqueviewsissomethingthatallofuscandotoenjoyitsqualitiesinthedaylight.

ContainersandWrappingsThe act of giving has been raised to an art form in Japan, similar to theelaborate process of the Japanese tea ceremony, with important symbolismassociated with every element. It is common even for small items to be

packagedwithatleasttwo,andoftenseveral,levelsofcontainment,enhancingboththeexperienceofreceiving,aswellasthatofgiving.Thisiswhywashiiscommonlyusedtocoverormakecontainers.Thepleasing,oftenbrightcolorsand patterns generate remarks of appreciation, leading to prolongedconversation during this important, gift-giving process. Often, the pattern orstyleofthepapercontainerwillcontainaclueastothecontents.Usuallyitissimplybeautiful,andsomehowappropriatetotheoccasionortotherecipient.Washicontainerssuchasboxesandvasesareoftenusedoverandoveragain.

Impatientchildrentodayoftentearthroughgiftwrapbeforeseeinganythingexceptthesizeofthepackage,butinJapan,itiscustomarytopolitelysavortheattractivenessofeachlevelofwrappingaroundeventhemosthumbleofgiftsor treats. Indeed,wehave savedmost of thewashiwrappings and containersfromthegiftswehavereceived.Thesepapersfindnewreincarnationsasthank-younotes,foldedornaments,greetingcards,orcherishedcomponentsofentriesin our travel scrapbooks. Passing these beautiful papers on provides a simplewaytoestablishacontinuityfortherelationshipthroughtheyears.

BooksPeopleloveone-of-a-kind,handmadebooks,whichseemtogothroughcyclesof fashion. Books featuring unique, handmade papers are especially popularnow.Manyofourcustomerscomelookingforarchivalanddecorativepaperstocomplement their latest book-binding project. This has been one of themorepopular projects using paper, because it is not difficult or expensive, andcustomizedorpersonalizedbooksalwaysmakegreatgifts.

Maybeyouhave found the perfectwashi for a gift scrapbook.Maybeyouwanttoprintyourowngreatnovel,thenlovinglybinditinhandmadepaperforcasualdisplayonyourown(orperhapsyourmother’s)coffeetable.Hereisanopportunityforyoutoself-publishanheirloom!

WorksofArtMany of the customers who purchase our handmade papers are artists whoappreciate painting, contact printing, or incorporating handmade papers intomultimedia art. Abstract artists compose overlapping fields and shapes ofdifferenttypesofwashiintocollagesofhandmadepaper.Theartofcomposingtornbitsofwashiisatime-honoredartcalledchigiri-e,or“tornpaperpictures.”

Inthisart,differentcolorsandtexturesoftornwashicreatecollagesofstilllifeandscenery,similartowatercolors,yetcomposedentirelyofhandmadepaperswithnoappliedpaintsorinks.Insumi-e,Japaneseinkpainting,thestrengthofthebrushstrokes, thelineandformofthedrawing,andthesubtlegesturesareenhanced by theway the specially-designedwashi paper’s fibers handle ink.Manytypesofwashitakewatercolorsbeautifully.

LanternsFamous artists and origami experts havemade careers of illuminatingwashi.Thewarmthof the fiber sheets, the irregularclumps,knots, anddeckleedgescapture light in magical ways. Washi is naturally light and airy. Whenilluminatedglobesorotherformsaresuspended,theymayevokethemoonandstars. With proper safeguarding, a washi lantern may be the best way toappreciatethevariousformsandtypesofhandmadepaper.

Becareful!Avoidusingheat-producingbulbsor flames.Even ifyouknowthewattlimitofthefixture,thepersonreplacingalightbulbcouldmistakenlyuseahightemperaturehalogenbulb.NewerLED(light-emittingdiode)lightingcouldbeabetterchoice,butweavoid this firedangerbyneverusingelectriclights or candles. We direct a spotlight onto the washi object from a safedistance,ratherthanriskafire.

KitesWashi is strong, so let thewind carry your spirits aloft on awashi kite. ThepaperkitewasenjoyedinChinabeforecomingtoJapanaround800A.D.Whatbetterway toshareabeautifulcompositionwith the restof theworld?Akiteabovethehorizonputstheworldintoperspective,forontheotherendisachildatheart.Today,manykitesaremadeofplastic film,butwashi isquitestrongenough to withstand winds. A washi kite also makes an excellent roomdecorationwhenitisnotbeingflown.Yourvisitorswillbeabletoappreciateitsbeautyupclose,aswellasfaraway.

ToysWashi makes great toys! Folded or constructed toys, such as spinning tops,flapping birds, streamers, pinwheels, balloons, paper animals, and, of course,paper airplanes become treasured keepsakes when they are made of washi.

Mobiles of paper animals or planes provide plenty of colors, shapes, andshadows toponder.Thisbook’s techniques forcoveringobjectswillgiveyouideasaboutrefreshingwornortatteredtoyswithbeautifulwashi,transformingthem into cherished keepsakes as the child grows.While it is true thatmanywashi toys are folded (origami), be careful not to consider using so-called“origamipaper.”Regular“origamipaper”wasdevelopedforkindergartenuse.Designed to allow children to explore folded forms and patterns, it wasmanufactured tobe inexpensive anddisposable.Whenweexplain to studentsthatweneverusesuchorigamipaperforfineorigamiart,theyseemsurprised.When we show them two masterworks, one folded from inexpensive, woodpulporigamipaper,andtheotherfromwashi,theyinstantlyseethatthereisnocomparison. The sculpture made from inexpensive, wood pulp paper withfugitive colorants becomes brittle and its colors fade.Themasterwork foldedfromhigh-qualitywashi,coloredusinginorganic,groundmineralpigments,stilllooksasfreshasthedayitwasmade,eventhoughbothpiecesarethesameage.Art folded from fine, handmade paper will be a cherished heirloom, whileworksfoldedfrominexpensivepaperswillprobablyliveononlyasamemoryoraphotograph.

DecorativeThereare somanycolors,designs,patterns,andprintsofwashi thatmuchofthe fun is finding just the right piece to complement a roomor table setting.Washitransformstheutilitarianpencilcupintoapersonalstatement.Itsoftenshardedges,brightensdullorboringplastic,andgivespreviouslyuglythingsachancetoshine.Today’sinteriordesignprofessionalsknowthatwashiaddsthatspecial flairof funorelegance to thedécorordesign. Ifyou lovewashi,youwillwantitallaroundyou.

MMAKINGWASHI

aking your own handmade paper is not an expensive or anunreasonable idea.Remember that paper has beenmade by hand forover 2,100 years by people with fewer resources than you. Making

washiis“lowtech,”withsimpletoolsandmaterials.Therearemanywaysthatyoucantryyourhandatmakingseveralkindsofwashirightathome.Thoughhardwork, diligence, and lots of practice are themain ingredients in qualityhand papermaking, you will see that today, several of the stages of makingwashi have been made much easier for the artist or hobbyist. Ready-to-usefibers, pigments, and equipment are available from specialty supply sources.Withsomecare,evenanovicecanmakeperfectlyusable,beautifulpapersbyhandathome.

Wewill presentonly themostbasic steps inmakingwashi.The followingmethodsforpreparingpulpandformingsheetswillprovideenoughinformationfor you not only to try it but tomake paper formany of the projects in thisbook.Thesemethodswillalsohelpyoubetterunderstand,evaluate,andrespectthewashiyouencounterinyourtravels.

T

PREPARINGTHEPULP

DemonstratedbyMichaelG.LaFosse

Kozo(Broussonetiapapyrifera)papermulberry,growinginourbackyard.

his section demonstrates the most basic techniques for preparing pulpprior to making fine paper by hand. Traditional washi is most oftenformed fromKozopulp.Compared toMitsumataandGampi,Kozohas

the longest fibers, and it is easily cultivated.Thematerials youwill need arereadilyavailablefromtheresourceslistedinthisbook(seepage127),andyoumayfindothersourcesnearyouorlistedontheInternet.

Materials

BastfiberfromKozo,Mitsumata,orGampi,1pound(454grams)ofdryweightAlkalior“sodaash”(alsoknownas“sodiumcarbonate”),3.25ounces(90grams)Water,2.5gallons(9.5liters)Formationaid(polyethyleneoxidepowder),1tablespoon(8grams)

Equipment

ScaleLargestainlesssteelstockpot,16–20quart(15–19liter)StoveLarge,stainlesssteelstirringspoon

Deep vat, 36˝ x 24˝ x 8˝ (91cm x 61cm x 20cm), for sheet forming (inexpensivepolyethylenevatsarecommonlysoldinhomeimprovementstoresformixingmortar)

LongvinylorrubberglovesSplashgoggles,dustmask,andapronCottonclothFinestainlesssteelstrainersieveWoodenmalletsforbeatingClearglassjarforjartestBlenderPitcherorbowlMechanicalpulpbeater(optional)

Asampleofdifferenttypesofscreens,deckles,andframesusedinhandpapermaking;

Alkali(sodaash,orsodiumcarbonate)withdried,Kozobastfibersfromthepapermulberry.

1

2

Weigh1pound(454grams)ofdryfiberandsoakinplentyofwaterovernight.Bastfibersswellafterbeingwetted.

Measureenoughalkali:20percentofthedryweightofthebatchoffibertobecooked,souse 3.25 ounces (92 grams) of alkali, per pound (454 grams) of dry fiber. (Wear vinyl

gloves, a dustmask, and an apron.Work in a well-ventilated area.) Bring 2.5 gallons (9.5liters)ofwatertoanearboil.Carefullyaddthealkalitothehotwater.Stirtodissolve.

3

4

5

Carefully add the soaked bast fibers. Bring to a gentle boil and then lower the heat tomaintainasimmer.Stireveryhalfhour.Normally,batchestakeapproximatelyfourhoursof

simmering.

Placeadampcloth (anoldpillowcaseoradouble layerof cheeseclothworkswell) inastainless steelmesh strainer basket. Thoroughly rinse the cooked bast fibers under the

faucet.Ifdesired,removeanylastbitsofimpurities,includinganybark,knots,andundigestedclumps that could contaminate the paper. (You can leave these impurities in if youwish tomake“chirigami,”whichhasitsownappeal.)

Wring the rinsed fiber bymaking baseball-sizedwads for beating. This ball is ready forbeating.

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7

Manuallybeating thewet fiberwithawoodenpaddleormalletsplaysandseparates thestrandsoffiberandalsohydratesthecellulose.Thegoalisnottoshortenthefibersbutto

add exposed surface area, which will result in finer, stronger sheets. Regular but gentlepoundingwillallowmorewater into the fibersandmakethemswell. Itwill takeabout ten tofifteenminutesperballtoproperlyprocessthefiber.Stopbeatingeveryminuteorsotoaddalittlewater.Eachballmayrequireupto4cup(59milliliters)ofwater tobeaddedduringthebeating stage. This “water of hydration” activates potential bonding sites on the cellulosestrands,sostrongerpaperrequiresmorewaterduringbeating.

Usethe“jartest”tomeasureyourprogressbydroppingasmallsampleofbeatenpulpintoabeakerofwater.

8Stir briskly for a fewmoments until the fibers arewell separated.When the fibers havereachedthestageofbeingproperlybeaten,therewillbenoclumpsinthesuspension.

Should you decide to skip the above steps, preprocessed pulp is available.Thefiberisreadyforhydrating.(Thefibershownhereisabaca,fromtheMusatextilus plant, and is available by the pound, obtained as thick sheets frompapermaking supply companies. The bag contains “formation aid,”polyethyleneoxidepowder.)We recommendusingpre-processedabaca ratherthan “traditional” washi fibers such as Kozo for your first experiments inJapanese-stylepapermaking,soyoucanavoidthelaboriousandmessyalkalinecookingprocess.Doingsowillallowyoutofocusongettingtheknackofsheetforming, while eliminatingmany of the variables that could complicate yourefforts.

Soak the pre-processed sheets of pulp in plenty of water and agitate tosufficientlyseparatethefibers.Usethejartesttoseewhenyourpulpisreadyforsheetforming.

Ifyouhaveaccess toamechanicalbeater, suchas thisonebuiltbyValleyIronWorksoriginallyforlaboratoryusebyapapermill,youcanmorepreciselycontrol the variables of beating time and pressure against the bedplate.Moreandmoreschoolsanduniversitiesofferpapermakingcourses.Youmayfindthatanearbyschoolhasastudiowithapaperpulpbeaterthatyoucanuse.

9Thispulpisreadyforsheetforming.Itfeelssoftandplumpwithwater.Youcanrinsethestockpotwellandusethattoholdthepulp.

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11

Prepare a solution of formation aid by filling a blender to the halfwaymarkwithwater.Whilethemotorisrunningonlowspeed,graduallyadd(sprinkle)uptoonetablespoon(2

fluidounce,or15cc)of thepolyethyleneoxidepowder.Listencarefully to thesoundof themotor,andstopaddingwhenthemotorbeginstolabor.

Formationaidmakes thewater in thesheet-formingvatmoreviscousandslippery.Thispreventsthelongfibersfromtanglingandknotting,allowingfortheformationofathin,evensheet.Formationaidalsoslowsdown thedrainageofwater, allowingplentyof time for thepapermakertocontroltheflowofslurryacrossthesurfaceofthemold.

Pourtheformationaidsolutionintoapitcherorbowl,cover,andletitstandovernight.Itisimportanttolettheformationaidstandtoallowalloftheparticlestocompletelydissolve

and for anybubbles to clear.Blended formationaid is quite viscousandslippery.Cleanupfloorspillsimmediatelytopreventaccidents.

TraditionalJapaneserecipesusevegetablemucilage,calledneri,derivedfromtherootofthetororo-aoiplant(andothers),whichismashed,soaked,andstrainedbeforeuse.

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13

Chargeavatofwaterwithenoughbeatenpulptomakeitcloudywithdispersedfiber.Thispapermakingsessionbeganwith12pounds(680grams,dryweightoffiber)ofpulp.We

addedhalfthepulptothevat,whichcontained50gallons(190liters)ofwater.Formingeachsheetofpaperremovesasmallamountofpulpfromthevat,soitisnecessarytoregularlyaddmeasuredportionsofpulp,tomaintainafairlyconsistentconcentrationoffiberinthevat.Wetypicallyaddaboutapint (0.5 liter)ofpulp to thevatafterevery fourthsheet.This isonlyaguide;youshouldexperimentormeasurewhatworksbestforyou.

Viscousformationaidisaddedtothevatcontainingthepulp.Thiswillcausethewatertobecomeviscousandmakea“blurpy,”bubblysoundwhenstirred.Donotmakethewater

tooviscousordrainagewillbetooslowandfiberswillnotdepositevenlyonthescreen.Formatestsheettoseehowquicklythescreendrains.Graduallyaddmoreformationaiduntilthedrainingtimeincreasesenoughtogiveyougoodcontroloftheslurryflowacrossthescreen.Itiseasiertoaddmoreformationaidifthescreendrainstooquickly.Youcanspeedthedrainingtosomedegreebyagitatingthevat,breakingdownsomeoftheviscosity.

14Tokeepthepulpinsuspension,gentlyagitatethewaterasnecessarybeforeyoubegintoformanewsheetofpaper.Mixingthepulpbyhanddispersesitevenlywithinthevatofwater.

T

TAME-ZUKI:“RETAININGMETHOD”OFPAPERMAKING(alsoknownas“Western-Style”)


ame-zukimeansmakingpaper(suku)byaccumulation,containment(tameru),or retention of thewatery pulp. This name refers to the frame, or deckle,

which is placedover the screen,which corrals and contains a quantity of thepulpslurrywhilethewaterdrainsthroughthescreen.UnlikeNagashizuki(seepage 32), slurry is not thrown off. The papermakermust regularly adjust theamountoffiberinthevattocreatesheetsofuniformthickness.Addmorepulptothevatforthickersheetsandlesspulpforthinnersheets.

Materials

Preparedpulp(Kozo,Mitsumata,orGampi),1pound(454grams)dryweightPlentyofwaterFormationaid(polyethyleneoxidesolution)(optional.SeePreparingthePulponpage20)

Equipment


Papermaker’smoldanddeckle,11˝x17˝(28cmx43cm)orsmaller Twodozenormorefelt rectangles(syntheticpolyester“chamois”ornaturalwool),cut2˝(5cm)largerthanthemold,soakedinwater

Fourrectanglesofplywood,2˝(1cm)thick,cuttothesamesizeasthewoolfelts20-tonhydraulicbottlejackPressframeMiscellaneousblocksforsafepressingPaperblotters,cuttothesamesizeasthefeltsCorrugatedcardboard,cuttothesamesizeasthefeltsBoxfan,20˝x20˝(51cmx51cm)Plasticsheeting(orgarbagecanliners)andducttapetodirectairfromtheboxfanthroughthepostofblottersandpressedpulp

Ratchetstraps(orducttape)tosecuretheenclosurearoundthepostinthedryingbox

1Hereisawestern-stylescreenwithremovabledeckle(frame).Theframe’sthicknessactsasadamtoretain(tame-zuki)aspecificquantityofthepulpslurry.

3

2

4

5

Thedeckleisfittedontotheflatsideofthescreenandheldfirmlytogether.

Themold isplunged into thevatofpreparedpulp,bottomedge first,andpulled forwardandunderthesurfaceoftheslurry.

Thescreenanddeckleareraisedwhilelevelingoff.

Thewaterdrainsthroughthepulpandscreen.

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8

Thewetpulpshinesonthesurfaceofthescreen.

After removing the deckle frame, notice the “deckle edge,” or rough edge, along therectangularsheetofwetpulp.

Theedgeofthescreenisalignedtothesideofthewetorangefeltsintheblacktub.

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10

The screen is inverted and the wet pulp is transferred onto the wet felts with pressureappliedtotheundersideofthescreen.Thewetfeltsarecompressible,and,asthescreen

is pushed onto the felt, the paper pulp is pulled off the screen by the suction created aspressureisreleased.

Oneendofthescreenisraised,showingthepulpsheetleftbehindonthewetfelt.Thewetpulpisquitetranslucent.

11Anotherwetfeltislaidgentlyoverthewetpulp,thusbuildingastack(calleda“post”)ofalternatingfeltsandpulplayers.Aspulpisremovedfromthevat,moreisadded.Abouta

pint (0.5 liters) of beaten pulp produces about two sheets of 16 inch by 20 inch (41cm by51cm)paper,soapintofslurryisaddedtothevataftereverytwotofourdips,dependingonthedesiredthicknessofthesheet.

PRESSINGTHEFORMEDSHEETSWhypressthepaper?Itremovesmuchofthewater,thusreducingdryingtimeanddryingenergy.Italsoallowsthepapermakertoimpartauniformfinishoneachsideof thepaper.Therearemanyways topressnewly formedsheetsofpaper. One could purchase a papermaker’s press for several thousands ofdollars, but remember that the earliest papermakingmethods did not involvepressingthepaperatall:Screensweresimplyleftinthesunlighttodryuntilthematted fibers could be peeled off in a single sheet. In the past, I pressedmyhandmade paper by laying the stack of alternating felts and couched pulpsandwichedbetweenplywoodboards, thenparking the frontwheelofmycarsquarelyonthecenterofthetopboard.

WhenwemakelargesheetsofpaperatOrigamidoStudio,wecouchthewetpulpontoalargepieceoffeltstretchedoverasmoothtable,coveritwithplasticsheeting, and then insert a suction hose from a vacuum pump to enableatmospheric pressure to press the paper. Richard has also set up variouscontraptionstopressmyhandmadepaper.Oneinvolveda12-footlumberleverweightedwitha steeldrum thathe filledwithwater fromagardenhose.Themostsuccessful involveda20-toncapacityhydraulicbottle jack,availableforwellunder$100.Withthisjack,wehavetakenourpapermakingclasses“ontheroad,” and so we built a simple, versatile pressing frame from lightweightaluminumstrutsandthreadedrods.Only22inches(6cm)thick,ithangsonthewall(justlikeapictureframe)whennotinuse.

Howmuch pressure do you need?Wemake great paper thatmeasures 16inchesby20 inches(or320square inches),and,witha20-ton(40,000poundcapacity) jack, it must be pressed at less than 125 pounds per square inch.Because theboardsweuse topress the felts are20 inchesby28 inches (560squareinches),theactualpressureonthepaperisprobablylessthan70poundspersquareinch.Thisamountofpressureremovesenoughwaterforourpapertobebonedryinthemorningafterstayinginthefanboxovernight.

12

Note:Itisgreattobeinventive,butpleasepayattentiontosafety,especiallywhenblockingor jackinggreat forces.Carsroll.Jackskickout.Woodblocksunderpressurecansplitandfail.Neverplaceanyone,includinganypartofyourownbody,inadangerzone.Haveanengineerreviewwhatyouaretryingtodotopreventsomethingdangerous.Center,check,anddoublechecktheplacementof the blocks and jacks. Use redundant safety devices, such as double ties,doublenuts,anddouble-thickboards.Stowboardsandblockswheretheycan’tfall.Keepchildrenandspectatorsaway,justincase.

OrigamidoStudioco-founderandpapermakerRichardL.Alexanderpressesthepapertoremove excess water and make the sheets thinner. He is using a 20-ton capacity,

hydraulicbottlejacktoapplyforcetothepostofalternatinglayersoffeltandpulp,sandwichedbetweenpiecesofmarineplywoodandotherlumber,withinaportablepressframe.Therearefourwinchby36inches(2cmby91cm)vertical threadedrodsholdingthehorizontal,wood-filled, square struts of aluminum. (The photo shows an end view. The other three rods arehidden.)

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15

13Aspressureisapplied,waterfromthefeltsdrainsbackintothevat.

Afterthepostisremovedfromthepress,Ipeelasheetofpressed,wetpaperpulpoffthefelt.

Thenewlyformedsheetofwetpaperpulpislaidontopofathick,absorbentpaperblotter(cut slightly longerandslightlywider than thewetpaper).Theblottermaterialmust be

able to wick moisture from the wet pulp while retaining physical form. One would not usepaper towels because the fibers are too loose. Similarly, one would not use cloth towelsbecause theweavewould integratewith thepulp fibers,making itdifficult toseparatewhendry.

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17

Apieceofcorrugatedcardboardseparateseachsandwichofblotter/wetpaper/blotter.Alloftheopeningsinthecorrugationruninthesamedirection.

ThisisaviewofatypicalbatchofpapermadeatOrigamidoStudio,lookingthroughthepostofstackedblotters,wetpaper,andcorrugatedcardboard.

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19

A 20-inch (51cm) box fan is built into the removable front panel of the two-piece,corrugated-plasticdryingbox.Thefrontpanel isheldagainstthesidesandtopwithtwo

adjustablebelts(ratchetstraps).Noticethatthetopofthedryingboxisweightedwithboardspreviouslyusedtopressthepost,and,asthepaperdries,thesidescanmoveindependentlyofthefacepanelcontainingthefan.Abatchsuchasthis,withseventytoonehundredsheets,driescompletelyovernight.

(Corrugatedpolyethyleneplastic,usedhere,hasbecomeafavoritefabricationmaterialfordesigners of signs, returnable boxes, recycling containers, and evenU.S.PostOffice letterbins. Many packaging supply companies carry it in several colors. We also dry paper bydirectingairfromthefanthroughthepostwithplasticsheetingandducttape.)

Afinishedsheetofpaperisseparatedfromtheblotter.

I

NAGASHIZUKI:SHEET-FORMINGTECHNIQUE


n contrast to the retaining method, the equipment used in this techniqueforces the papermaker to choose how much slurry will pass through thescreen.Theremainderis“thrownoff”inanartfulandbeautiful,buttricky,

technique.Witha littlepractice, abeginner canmakeacceptablepaper,but itcan takeyears to learn the proper timing to eject exactly the right amount ofpooledslurrytoproducepaperwithacleanedge.

Materials

Preparedpulp(Kozo,Mitsumata,orGampi),1pound(454grams)ofdryweightPlentyofwaterFormationaid(polyethyleneoxidesolution)(SeePreparingthePulponpage20) Spool of lightweight string or thread, to be cut into pieces, one for each sheet,approximately2˝(5cm)longerthanthelongedgeofthesheetsbeingformed

Equipment


Japanese-style papermaker’s frame and screen (sugeta), 33˝ x 21˝ (84cm x 53cm) orsmallerTwo rectanglesofmarine varnishedplywood,2˝ (1cm) thick, cut 2˝ (5cm) largerthanthesheetstobemade

TwopiecesoffeltcutthesamesizeastheplywoodboardsSoft-bristle,widewallpaperbrushDryingboardorglass,mountedsecurelyinaverticalposition,atleast5˝(13cm)largerthanthesheetstobemade.Note:Abamboosuisnotnecessary.Awestern-stylemoldcanbesubstitutedifadeepdeckle(atleast3/4˝[2cm]deep)isusedwiththeTame-zukimethodofcouchinganddryingthepaper(seesteps6through19).

1Thisisabamboosu(papermakingscreen)beingsoakedinwaterpriortoformingsheets.Weallowittosoakforseveralhours,oftenovernight.

4

2

3

Thesuisplacedonthehingedframe;thesetisoftencalledasugeta.

Animminentplunge!

Thescoop:Thebottomedgeentersfirst.Thebackisloweredwhilethefrontisraisedandpulledforwardtocatchachargeofthepulpslurry.

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6

Thefirstchargeofpulpslurryfloodsthescreen,formingthefirst“skin”asthewaterdrainsthrough.Theslurrytravelsforward.

Thescreenischargedagain,andthefreshslurryisrockedbacktofrontrepeatedly.Thisactiondepositsanewlayerofpulpoverthefirstskin.Thewaterwilldrainmoreslowlyat

thisstage.

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8

Thefarendofthemoldistippeddowntocollectremainingslurrybeforeitistossedbackintothevat.

Theexcessslurryistossedbackintothevat.

9Thescreenischargedagain,andthenewslurryisrockedsidetosiderepeatedly,tobuilda cross-grain arrangement of fibers in the sheet. Unlike the retaining method, which

dependsonarandomarrangementof thefibersastheslurrydrains, thismethodallowsthepaper-makertoimpartanydegreeofgrain(orgeneralorientationofthefibers).

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11

12

Thefarendofthemoldistippeddownagaintocollectremainingslurrybeforeitistossedbackintothevat.Theslurryistossedtothebackofthevat.Thistechniquehelpstomake

acleaner,moreuniformedge.

Oncethedesirednumberof layershasbeenbuiltup, thesheet isreadytoberemovedfromthemoldasthehingedframeisopened.

Thebamboosuisremoved.

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15

Thepulpisbeinglaidagainstawet,yellowfelt.

Thefrontofthesuisfirmlypresseddowntomakesuretheedgeofwetpulpstaysbehindasthesuisraised.

Thewetpulpremainsonthewetfelt,asthesuisraisedandremoved.

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17

Beforesubsequentsheetsofwetpulparecouchedontopofthefirst,apieceofstringislaidacross the front toaid separation.Unlike theTame-zukimethod (seepage26), no

separatinglayersoffeltareneeded.

Theblottedandpressedsheetsareeasilyseparatedfromeachother.Ifjustafewsheetsare to be formed, pressing is not needed, because small batchesmay be blottedwith

otherfelts.

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19

20

Thewetsheetisliftedawaybyitsadjacentcorners.Thewidebrushwillbeusedtoapplythewetsheettothedryingsurface.

The right top corner of the sheet is applied first to the drying surface. The sheet isbrusheddiagonally fromupper right to lower left.ThisFormica tabletopworksgreat for

dryinglargesheetsofpaper.(Wedrypaperagainstsheetsofglasswhenwedesirepaperwithashinysurface.)

The sheet is brushed downward from the diagonal to secure the lower half, and thenbrushedupwardfromthediagonaltosecuretheupperhalf.

21The process is completed by brushing along the top. The sheet is allowed to dry. Thepaperwillsometimesseparateasitdries,aidingremoval.

W

ADDINGEMBEDDEDOBJECTS:HANDMADEPAPERWITHFLOWERINCLUSIONS

DemonstratedbyRichardL.Alexander

heneveryougetthechancetomakepaperbyhand,itisfuntoincludeother objects, perhaps some of the flower blossoms or plants thatmightbeinseason.Thisisakindof“datestamp”thatyouwillfondly

recall later on. Flowers, leaves, or petals incorporate nicely into the washi,whichcanbecomegreetingcards,placecards,orwindowhangings,actingas“lightcatchers”whensunlightshinesthroughtheflowerstobringtheirspirittolifeagain.Makesurethattheinclusionsarefairlyflatandthattheircolorswillnot bleed more than you want them to. You can use either Tame-zuki orNagashizukimethodsforsheetforming.

Afinishedpiece,“FallingPetals,”withbacklighting,byRichardL.Alexander.

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2

3

Couchone layerofpaperpulpontoawet felt.Arrange freshordried leavesand flowerpetalsinapleasingmanner.

Couchasecond, thin layerofpaperpulponto thearrangement, formingacompositeofpaperpulp/plantinclusions/paperpulpbetweenthewetfelts.

Thisistheresultingpanel,afterthepaperispressedanddried.

5

4Hereisanotherarrangement.

Afterpressing to flattenandremoveexcesswater, removethesheet fromthe feltbeforedrying.

Hereisaclose-upviewafterpressing.

Thisfinishedpiecehasbeenusedasadisplaysurfacefororigamibutterflies.

Apressedplant,withbacklighting,byRichardL.Alexander.

Afinishedpiece,“FancifulPlant,”withbacklighting,byRichardL.Alexander.

T

FOLDEDTIE-DYEDWASHI

TraditionalcoloringmethoddemonstratedbyMichaelG.LaFosse

ie-dyed washi is colorful, often with kaleidoscopic patterns that areproducedbyfolding,twisting,tying,anddyeingthepaper.Thefoldedtie-dyedmethod is simple to do and gives one-of-a-kind patterns towashi

youhavemadeyourself,oritmaybeusedtopersonalizewashithatyouhavepurchased. Geometric, yet organic, these elaborate patterns result when theprocessisrepeatedusingdifferentdyes,ties,andothermasksorresistsbetweenstages.

Materials

Washi

Permanentliquidinksordyesofvariouscolors

Equipment

Shallowmetalpansordishesfordye

Plasticsheeting(polyethylenedropcloth)

Knifeorscissorstocuttheendsoffthefoldedwashi

1

Rubberorvinylgloves

Usearectangleofplain,whitewashi.

3

4

2Begintheprocessoffan-foldingbyfirstfoldingtherectangleinhalf.

Bring the edge that is closest to you across tomeet the far edge; crease in themiddle(makingfourths).

Bringthenewedgethatisclosesttoyouacrosstomeetthefaredge;creaseinthemiddle(makingeighths).

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7

5Open.

Re-creasesomeofthepanelssothefoldsalternatebetweenmountainsandvalleys(fan-fold).Gatherthepanelsandmakesuretheiredgesalign.

Folduponecornerat theend tomeet the imaginarymid-line.Pressdown firmlyon theresultingmountainfoldthatstopsatthecorner.Thissetsupa60-degreeangle.

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10

9

Foldtheendbackandforth,alternatingdiagonally,sothatthestripofpanelsbecomesatriangularstackoflayers.

Nowthepre-creasingiscomplete.

Experimentwithbasicshapesandvariations; for instance,usingasharpknife,carefullycuttheendsoffthethreepointsofthetriangularstackforalacedeffect.

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12

Herewefan-foldalongstriptocreatestackedsquares,ratherthantriangles.

Hereisthefinishedstackofsquares,readyfordyeing.

Dipeachcorner intodifferentcolorsof inkordye.Thelongeryouholdanedgeintothedye,thefarthertheinkwillmigratefromtheedge.

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15

Allowthewashitodryonaplasticdropcloth,beforeunfolding.

Openthefoldedsheetcarefullytorevealyourpatterns.

B

BACK-COATING


ack-coatingisanessentialtechniqueforpreparingwashiforavarietyofuses.Itallowsyoutoselectdifferenttypes(color,pattern,orweight)ofpapersforthefrontandthebackofyourproject;itallowsyoutostiffen

thematerialtoproducesufficientbodyforworkingathree-dimensionalproject;and it allows you to impart qualities into the composite that are not presentwhenusingeithersheetalone.Forexample,washithatwouldnotbegoodforfoldingbecomessuperbwhenback-coatedwithanothersheetofanappropriatetypeofpaper.

Materials

Twosheetsofpaper(washiandbacking)

Starch-basedglueorpaste

Smallscrapofpaper

Equipment

Spraybottleofwater

Dryingboard (foamcore,plywood,glass,orother stiffmaterial larger than the largestofyourchosenpapers)

Gluebrush(ChinaBristle),3˝(8cm)widetoapplythepaste

Dishforglue

Widebrush

Knife

1Trimoneofthesheetstobeapproximately1/2inch(1cm)shorteronallsides.Lightlymistthepapersonbothsides.Allowafewmomentsforthemoisturetobecomefullyabsorbed

intothepaper.Incorporatingwaterintothepaperallowsthepapertoexpand.Addingwatertothepaper

causes it to expand locally. This prevents the paper frompuckeringwhen paste is applied,because paste contains water. Without adding water, the dry paper pulls water out of thepaste,whichwouldcausethepastetothickenandbecomedifficulttospread.

2

3

4

Lay the display side of the larger sheet ofwashi downagainst the surface of the table.Brushpasteevenlyontheexposedunderside.

Lay thebackof thesmallersheetdirectlyandsquarelyonto thepastedundersideof thefirstsheet.

Useascrapofpaperasa“gateway”thatwillallowyoutoinsertaknifeeasilybetweentheboardandthepaperafterthegluedries.

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6

7

Carefully flip the back-coated assembly onto a smooth, hard drying surface, such as apieceofglass,plastic,orplywood.Useawidebrushtosmooththesheet.Thisappliesthe

gluedmargintotheboard’ssurface.

Aftertheback-coatedpaperhasdried,insertaknifethroughthegateway.

Carefullyreleasethepaperfromtheboardbyslidingtheknifealongthepastedmargin.

8Trimtheedgesbeforeuse.

TPROJECTS

heprojectsinthisbookrepresentawidecross-sectionofusesforwashi,including a few traditional projects, as well as several contemporary,everyday,usefulobjects.Theseprojectsaresuitableusesforthegenerally

available typesofJapanesewashi,and the typesofwashi-likepapersyoucanmakeyourself.Manyartsandcraftsstores, includingsomelargechainstores,stockseveraltypesofwashi.TheInternetalsoallowsup-to-the-minutesourcingfordecorativeandhandmadepapers,includingJapanesewashi.

Similarly, theothermaterialsandequipmentusedfor theseprojectsarenotexotic, nor hard-to-find, and each has common substitutes. One of the bestaspectsofworkingwithwashiisthatithasbeendoneforcenturies;therefore,the equipment is usually low-tech, readily available, or easily made. Forgenerations, these types of objects were made with love by hand, withoutsophisticatedmaterialsandmethods.

Aswithanyfolkart,thevisionyouimpartintotheproductsofyourhandsisthe mark you leave to the world. Out of respect for the washi, and thegenerations of craftspeople that created your beautiful washi, please take thetimetoreadthroughthisentiresectiontothoroughlyunderstandtheproject.Besure to measure and cut accurately, and practice whatever skill is required(folding,stitching,orback-coating)usinglessvaluablepaperuntilyouhaveasufficientgraspofthetasktousethe“goodstuff.”

As you proceed, please refer to the Symbols Key on page 128, whichexplainsthediagramsusedthroughoutthisbook.

HONOREDTRADITIONS

JapaneseOrigamiCraneEhiroi Imoseyama SeigaihaHanaTsutsumi NoshiAwabi

T

JAPANESEORIGAMICRANE

IntroductionbyGregMudarri

TraditionaldesigndemonstratedbyMichaelG.LaFosse

hecrane,andtheorigamicranedevelopedinJapanseveralhundredyearsago,haslongbeenasymboloflongevity.InAsianmythology, it issaidthatcraneslivefor1,000years.Craneschooseonlyonemateandnever

1

separate.Becauseofthis,craneshavebecomeanimportantsymbolatweddingceremonies.

Theorigamicraneisthemostwidelyrecognizedorigamimodelaroundtheworld.Ifapersonknowsonlyoneorigamimodel,itisusuallythecrane,andsothe Japanese origami crane now represents the totality of origami, and Japanitself.Morerecently,ithasbecomeapowerfulinternationalsymbolofpeace.

Fold inhalf four timesasshown, creatingmountainandvalley foldsas indicated:Beginwiththesquareonthetablewiththecolorsideup,folddiagonallytomakeawhitetriangle.

Unfold,turn90degrees,repeat.Placethecoloredsidedown,andthenfoldtheoppositesidesofthesquaretogether.Thisiscalleda“book-fold.”Open,rotate,andrepeattobook-foldintheotherdirection,resulting inalternatingmountainsandvalleysradiatingfromthecenterpoint.Thewhitesideofthepaperinthephotoshowsthispre-creasepatternusedtocreatewhatisoftencalledthePreliminaryForm.

2Collapsetheformintoasquare,ordiamondshape,usingtheexistingcreases.(InDiagram2,CornersA,C,andDarecollapsedtomeetB.)Noticethearrangementofthelayers.

3

4

5

Pairsofcutedgesarebroughttothecenterlineofthediamondtoformpre-creasesfortheupcoming “petal-fold,” also called a “wing-fold.” Repeat this on the back side, and then

unfold.

Push the indicated corners inward to “inside-reverse” both of the side corners on thediamond,tuckingthembeneaththeupperlayerofpaper.Turnthemodeloverandrepeat.

Yourpapershouldlooklikethis.Foldthetoplayerbyliftingthefreecorneruptoformanelongatedrhombus,ordiamondshape.Repeatontheotherside.Lookaheadatstep6for

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6

theresult.

Yourpaperwilllooklikethis.Noticethesplitinthelowerhalfofthediamond.

Fold in the loweredgepairsof theelongateddiamond to thesplit.Thiswill “skinny” theneckandtail. It isbest tonotallowtheseedges to touch.Ahairlinespacewillmakethe

nextstepeasier.Repeatontheotherside.

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9

Allfouredgeshavebeenfoldedtothesplit,twoonthefrontandtwoontheback.Inside-reversefoldtheskinnycornersupward.Lookaheadatstep9fortheshape.

Thisphoto(left)showstheinside-reversefoldinaction:Pullthebottompointup,closingitbetweenthetwowings,asyousetthedesiredangle.

11

10Bothpointshavebeeninside-reversefolded.Noticetheirsymmetry,right.

Inside-reversefoldthebeak:Pushthetoppointdownwardandinward,closingitbetweenthetwohalvesoftheneck,asyousetthedesiredangleofthebeak.Foldthewingsdown.

13

12Noticethatthewinghasbeenfoldeddownasfaraspossible.Repeatwiththeotherwing.

Here is the finished Japanese Origami Crane with outstretched wings. (Pull the wingsgentlytocreateafullerbody.)

ORIGAMIPEACECRANES

byGregMudarri

GregMudarrimakingapeaceofferingofsenbazuru(“onethousandcranes”)onAugust6,2005,thesixtiethanniversaryofthebombingofHiroshima.

TThemonumentdepictsSadakoSasaki’sspiritrisinginhopeabovesuffering.

heorigamicranehasbecomeasymbolofworldpeace.ItspopularityhasgrownpartlybecauseofbookstellingthesadstoryofSadakoSasaki.Shewasonlytwoyearsoldwhentheatomicbombwasdroppedonherhome

city of Hiroshima during World War II. Although seemingly unharmed, shedeveloped leukemia nine years later. She strived to fold 1,000 cranes inaccordance with the old Japanese legend that if one folds 1,000 cranes theirwishwillbegranted.Althoughmanyaccountsclaimthatshewasunabletofold1,000,sheinfactmanagedtofoldapproximately1,300cranes.Sadly,shelostherlifewithinayearofherdiagnosis.Herstorytouchedmanypeoplearoundtheworldandanew,remarkablepeacemovementbegan.Thousandsofpeoplemakepilgrimagestomemorialparkstodelivergarlandsof1,000cranes(calledsenbazuru)asatangibleexpressionoftheirwishforpeace.

I visited the Peace Park in Hiroshima on August 6, 2005, the sixtiethanniversaryofthebombing,anddeliveredmythirdgarlandof1,000cranesonthat day. It was an emotional experience. More than 50,000 attended theceremony.Manyhundredsofpeoplebroughttogethermillionsuponmillionsofcoloredcranes,anexpressionthatspokelouderthananywords.

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SENBAZURU:“THOUSANDCRANES”TraditionaldesigndemonstratedbyGregMudarri

Herearevariationsofsenbazuru.

heJapanesewordsenbazuruindeedmeans“onethousandcranes,”butthetermisusedforastyleofconnectedcranesaswellasforactualgarlandsof1,000cranes.InJapanese,thewordsrepresenting“100”or“1,000”are

often used to express “many,” “unlimited variation,” or “endless possibility,”evenwhen thesubject isclearlycountable.Theoldestknownpublishedbookon origami,Hiden SenbazuruOrikata (The Secret of One Thousand Cranes),waspublished in1797and showed severalwaysof foldingdifferentversionsand combinations of the crane. The long fibers of washi allow many to befoldedfromthesamesheetwhilestillconnectedatthecorners(wingtips,beak,ortail).Theresurelyarenot1,000cranesinthebook,butitdoesincludeonesenbazurudesignofonehundredconnectedcranes,createdbyfoldingonesheetofpaperwithmanycuts.Wehave reintroduced someof thoseclassicmodelshere.Tryfoldingthemwithdifferentkindsofwashi.

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1

EHIROI

TraditionaldesigndemonstratedbyGregMudarri

hiroiisadepictionofOyaKo,or“ParentandChild.”Themothercraneisfeedingheryoungchick.Thetwoareconnectedonlyattheirbeaksbyafinestrandofwashi.

The paper is a 2 to 3 rectangle. The mother crane will be of the largest square sizepossible, leavingtwosquaresonthesidethatareeachone-fourththesizeofthemother

crane’ssquare.Cutthepaperasshown,makingsuretoleavethesquaresconnectedwithjustenoughpapertoensuretheywillstaytogether.Folderstypicallyhidethetopsquareunderthemothercranesothatitdisappearswhenthelayersarefoldedtogether(butyoumayalsotrimitoff).

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2Thecraneswillremainjoinedattheirbeaks.

Thisisaviewofthebackside,showingthefoldedchick,andthetopoftheexcesspapertobehiddenbyfoldingalongwiththatcornerofthelargersquare.

4HereisthecompletedEhiroiMotherCraneFeedingYoungChick.

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IMOSEYAMA


moseyama roughly translates to “sisters.” This is a wonderful project toconsiderwhenthewashiyouhaveisbeautifulonbothsides,becausetheyare

equally displayed. These cranes are the same size, and they share a wing.Symbolizing togetherness,kindred spirits,orunion, this compositionmakesa

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powerfulstatementandatreasuredgift.Usea2to1rectangleofwashi.

Cutthepaperonlyhalfwaythroughthemiddle.Thisissothecraneswillshareawing.

After cutting, fold the paper in half and fold one bird base while the squares areoverlapped.Unfoldenoughtobringthetwocranesapart,andreconstructthemusingthe

existing folds.Whencomplete, youwill produce twocranesofdifferentcolors, joinedat thewing.

SisterCranes,shownbesidea2to1rectangle,cuthalfwaythroughatthecenter.Noticethepre-creasesafterthefoldedpaperisopened,readytobere-foldedtoformthetwocranes.

HereisthecompletedImoseyamaSisterCranes,showingthesharedwing.

T

SEIGAIHA


ranslatingto“BlueOceanWave,”theSeigaihasenbazuruformcreatesanundulatingandpleasingpattern,notonly in its final formbutalso in itsfolding process. The experience of folding it can be quite therapeutic,

similartowatchingthewavesrollin.

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3

Foldasquarepaperintoequalthirds,bothhorizontallyandvertically,dividingthesquareintoninesmallersquares.Theslitswillbecutinbetweeneachsquareasshown,butbesurenevertocutthroughthecriticalcorners.

Foldeachthird inhalf.Cutting throughthenewly foldededgemakes iteasier toperformthisconfigurationofslitsforthenine-craneBlueOceanWave.

FoldninecranesallfacingthesamedirectiontocompletetheSeigaiha.

4Itiseasiertofoldeachstepofeachcranebeforeproceedingtothenextstepinthefolding

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process. This photo shows a semi-folded, nine-crane BlueOceanWave at the “bird base”stage.

HereisthecompletedSeigaiha,BlueOceanWave,withninecranes.

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NOSHI(TSUTSUMI)

byGregMudarri

sutsumi is the Japanese word for wrappers.Noshi are a particular kind oftsutsumi.ThetermnoshicomesfromtheJapaneseverbnosu,whichmeansto

stretch.Thetermnoshiisusedherenotbecausethepaperisstretched;rather,itisderivedfromthetermnoshitaawabi,whichtranslatesto“stretchedabalone.”The termnoshi,according to itsoriginalmeaning,wasonlyappropriatewhenappliedtothetsutsumiusedforstretchedanddriedabalonemeat.

Abalone meat was considered a gift of good fortune in early Japan, so aspecial tsutsumiwasusedtopresentthegift,calledNoshiAwabiNoTsutsumi.There is a Buddhist custom to refrain from eatingmeat at sad times, so the

NoshiAwabiweregivenasagift,oranattachmenttoagift,tosignifyajoyousoccasionwhentheabalonecouldbeenjoyed.

Manydifferenttsutsumiwereusedwithgiftsatspecialcelebrationsandwereusedaswrappingsforflowers,fans,chopsticks,brushes,andsakebottles.Theywereoftenusedascommonattachmentstogiftsatimportantoccasions,muchlikegift tags.From“noshitaawabi”to“noshiawabi”andfinallyjust“noshi,”themeaningof thetermfor thisspecifickindof tsutsumihaschangedagreatdeal.Nowitisoftenusedforallkindsoftsutsumi.

Whynot tryusing thesenoshi foryourowngiftsordecorations?Theyaremost often folded from a solid-color washi. White or natural paper wasparticularlyfavoredinoldJapanfornoshi,asuncoloredthingswereconsideredmore honest, natural, and pure. Important Buddhist, Shinto, and other sacredrites often incorporate fine, white paper to symbolize purity, simplicity, andbeauty.

H

1

HANATSUTSUMI


ana Tsutsumimeans “flower wrapping.” There are many noshi that aredesignatedforgivingspecifictypesofflowers.Thisparticularwrappingis

suitableforeithertreeflowersorgroundflowers.

ThisshowstheHanaTsutsumicreasepattern.Usingasquare,firstfolditinhalftoformatriangle.

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2

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Pre-creasealongthefolds2,3,4,and5.

Inside-reverseallfourofthefolds,twooneachside,correspondingtotheanglesshown.Nowpre-creasealongthefoldsmarked6,7,8,and9,andtheninside-reversethesefolds.

Hereisthecompletedflowerwrap,HanaTsutsumi.

T

NOSHIAWABI


his is the original noshi that was folded to present the gift of driedabalone.Use a paper that is roughly letter size, though all the folds areapproximate and could be produced fromnearly any size rectangle.On

thediagrams,arrowsareleftoutforclarity.Payattentiontotheproportionsand

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the shapes, and practice with inexpensive papers, opening to compare yourcreaseplacementswiththedrawingsasyoumasterthesepatterns.

ThisistheNoshiAwabicreasepattern,whichfeaturesonlyfivefolds.

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Makeadiagonal-foldfromapointclosetothelowercorner.Theleftcornerwilltouchtherightside.

Makeavalleyfold,placingthecorneroutsidethepreviousfold.

4Makeanotherdiagonal fold fromapointnear thebottomcorner,much like the first fold.(Seestep5.)

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Valley-fold again to let the corner pass outside the previous fold, this time farther thanbefore.

Valley-foldtobringthecorneracrosstheoppositeside.Trytoechotheshapeofthecornerabove.(Seestep7.)

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Mountain-foldthebottombehind.Besuretolettheunder-layersshowonbothsidesoftheuppermostlayer.

This is the completedNoshiAwabi.Notice how the shapes relate in a pleasingmannerwithoutrigidconstruction.

CELEBRATEDFRIENDSHIPS

SailboatEnvelope MasuBoxWalletorClutchPurse Crane’sEggModularBox

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SAILBOATENVELOPE

DesignedanddemonstratedbyMichaelG.LaFosse

nvelopes folded from beautiful washi will greatly enhance yourinvitations,thank-younotes,andspecialcongratulatorymessages,makingthem keepsakes suitable for framing. Use a 10-inch (25cm) square of

washi that iswhiteonone side, such as chiyogami, for an envelope thatwillmeasure32inchesby54inches(9cmby13cm).

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Begin white side up, then fold in half, edge to opposite edge. Then open, rotate, andrepeat,formingcrossingcreases.

Foldbottomedgetocenterhorizontalcrease,andunfold.Repeatwiththerightedge.Turnthemodelover.

Observethecreasepattern,andthenorientyourpaperasshown.Foldbottomcorner tothecenter,andunfold.Turnmodelover.

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Yourpapershouldlooklikethis.

Foldthethreecornersinwardtothecreaselinesasshown.

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Tuck theadjacent flaps inwardandover thewhitesideof thepaper, forminga triangularhullwithtwowhitetriangularsails.Thetipsofthesailswillmeetatthecenteroftheoriginal

square.

Laythemodelflat.Burnishthecreaseswithafoldingtool,suchasabonefolder.

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Foldthebottom,coloredcorneruptotouchthemiddleofthesailboatshape,andunfold.Flipthemodelover,frombottomtotop.

Usingthecreasemadeinstep8, foldthetopcornerdown.Foldthebottomcorneruptowherethecreasescross.

Folddownthetoppartofthemodelattheplacewherethecreasescross.Lookaheadatstep11forthecorrectshape.

Foldtheleftandrightcornerstothemiddle.

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Bringthecornersbacktotheiroriginalposition.

Tuckthesidecornersundertheendsofthesailboat.

YourfinishedSailboatEnvelope!

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Your finishedSailboat Envelope!Open the envelope.Make an invitation card to fit therectangledefinedbythefourvalleyfolds.

Thiswave-inspiredwashipatternmakesawonderfulSailboatEnvelope.Gobuyaboat,andtheninviteallyourfriendstohelpyousailit!Whocouldpossiblyturndownsuchan

invitation?

T

MASUBOX


hemasu,or“measuringbox,” isoneof themostusefulorigamimodels,butmostpeopleonly fold squareboxes,whicharenot always themostpractical or beautiful. Washi boxes are timeless, and they are always

welcomegifts.Theycanbemadetonestforstorageandthenbebroughtoutforuse during special occasions. This method allows you to customize thedimensionsofyourbox, theonly limit being the sizeof thewashipaperyouchoose.Thiscleanandsimpleshapebeautifullydisplaysqualitywashi,andyoucanalsomodify theproportions tocomplement thepatternsandshapesof thewashiitself.Donotbeintimidatedbytheinitialmeasuringsteps.Onceyoudoit, you will realize how easy it is to create a template that you will use toquicklycreatemoreofyourfavoriteboxesandlidsasyoudiscoverevenmorewonderfulpapers.

Materials

WashiGlueoracrylicpasteFiberboardTemplatepaper

Equipment

StraightedgeBladeorscissorsGluebrushFoldingtool(bonefolder,backofaspoon,orsomethingsimilar)Pencil

1Makeatemplate liketheoneshowninthediagram,byfirstcreatingarectanglewiththedesired lengthandwidthof yourbox, centeredasshown.Nowexpand the rectangleby

adding an even margin all around the outside of the rectangle. This width represents thedesiredheight(ordepth)ofthebox.Thisdecorativepaperwillbecomethelid.Usethesame

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2

proceduretomakeanotherboxtemplatetoformtheinnerbox(bottom),butthistime,drawitslightly smaller in length and width, about 4 inch (6mm) smaller each way, but this alsodependsonthethicknessofthepaperyouchoose.

Perhapsyouwillchoosetocutthebasefromadifferent,complementarycolorofpaper.Ifyouwishthelowerportionoftheinnerboxtoshowbeneaththelid(foreasieropening)makethesmallerboxslightlydeeperbyincreasingthesizeofthemargindrawnaroundthecenterrectangledrawnfortheinnerbox.

Selectsheetsofwashithatwillbelargeenoughtoallowthetemplatestofitwhenrotated45 degrees about their center. Trim the paper so the sides just touch each edge of theexpanded rectangle template, noting that thiswill leave four right triangles of excess paperbetweeneach side of the rectangular template and each corner of thewashi.Herewe areusingatemplatethatis82inchesby7inches(22cmby18cm).Thissizetemplatewillfitintoan 11-inch (28cm) square. Calculate the size of washi square that will accommodate yourtemplatebyaddingtwoadjacentsidesofyourtemplate,thendividingby1.414.Forexample:8.5+7=15.5inches;15.5÷1.414=10.96inches(or11inches).

Lightlydrawthediagonals(ghostlines)onthebacksideofthewashi.

Align thecenter foldsof the templateonto thediagonalmarkson thewashi.Transferallmeasurementsfromthetemplatebymakingpencilmarksonthebackofthewashi.

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Useastraightedgetofirmlymarkthewashiallthewayacrosscorrespondingtotheinnerandouterlinesofthetemplate.Pressfirmly,effectivelyscoringthewashiforeasierfolding.

Foldall corner flaps inwardasshown.Noticehowonepairofoppositecornersoverlapsbuttheotherpairofoppositecornersdonotmeet.

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Make the box walls by folding the outer edges inward, as shown. Use the previouslyscoredcreaselines.Turnthemodelover.

Pinchthecornersclosedbyfoldingalongeachoftheendsoftheouterrectangle(theboxdepthindicationlines).

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8Theboxforms.Pullouttheindicatedcorners,leftandright.

Fold the topandbottomedges inwardasshown.Raise themperpendicular to the table,formingverticalsidewalls.

10Usingthecreases,closetheendoftheboxbytuckingthecornersinside.Repeatontheotherend.

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Cut a rectangular piece of fiberboard to fit within the center rectangle of the template.Whencovered,thiswillinsertinsidethebox,stiffeningthelid.Cutapieceofwashilarge

enoughtoallowyoutocompletelycoveronesideandallfouredges.Allowforabouta2-inch(1cm)overlapateachedgeonthebackoftheboard.Trimthecornersasshown.Applypastetoonesideoftheboard,thentotheedgesofthewashi.Alignthecentersandfoldtheexcesswashiovertheedgesoftheboard.

Pasteorgluesparingly,soasnottopuckertheouterlayerofwashi.Inserttheboardintothebox.

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Usetheslightlysmallertemplatetomakeasmallerboxinthesameway(shown,sizedtofitinsidethefancypaperbox).Theredwashiboxbecomesthelid.

Hereisthecompletedrectangularmasubox.Tryseveralpatternsandsizes.Whowouldnotwanttomakeawashiboxforeverypreciousthing?

T

WALLETORCLUTCHPURSE


his wallet or clutch purse is a great way for you to take your favoritewashioutonthetown,whereotherscanenjoyittoo.Aperson’stasteinelegant papers is not unlike their taste in fashion, and youmay have a

perfect outfit to go with a special piece of paper. Perhaps you have alreadymade earrings from theCrane’s EggModularBox design (see page 88), andyou need a clutch purse to complete the ensemble. When you make themyourself,youknowthatyouraccessoriesarenotonlyhandmadebutalsoone-of-a-kind!

Materials

WashiFabricThermalbondingfilmoriron-setfusiblewebHeavythreadWhiteglue(notshown)

Equipment

Sewingneedle

ScissorsStraightedgeFoldingtool(bonefolder,backofaspoon,orsomethingsimilar)Awlorsmallholepunch(notshown)Ironandironingboard(notshown)Gluebrush(notshown)

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Gather yourmaterials. Select thin fabric and thick thread in colors that complement thechosenwashi.Variousthermalbondingfilmsallowbackingthewashiwithfabric,usinga

drymountpressorahandironandironingboard.

Cut thefabricwidth tomatchthefinal,desiredwidthof thewallet.Thewalletshown is9inches(23cm)wideand4inches(10cm)tall.Cutthefabriclengthtosixtimesthedesired

heightplus2inch(1cm),toallowfora4-inch(6mm)hemateachend,topandbottom.Ourexample is 24 inches (61cm) long. Cut the washi2 inch (1cm) longer and wider than thedesireddimensionstoallowa4-inch(6mm)hemforthelongsides.(Thewashiwillbefoldedovertofinishtheedgeofthepurse,sonoexposedfabricedgeswillunravel.)

Bondthebacksofthewashiandfabrictogetherbytrimmingthebondingfilmtothesizeofthefabric,thenlayingitonthebackofthewashisothatallexposedmarginsareequal.(Besure your hot iron does not directly contact any thermal bonding film. Follow themanufacturer’srecommendationsfortemperatureandtime.)

Trimthecornersofthewashitothetipofthefabric,sothatlayerswillnotbuildupasyoufoldthemarginsback(asthehem).

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Applywhitegluetotheexposedmarginsofwashiandallowittodrytoatackystatebeforefolding the hemover to seal. Fold the edges over, then burnishwellwith a folding tool.

Allowtheglueorpastetodry.Placeunderaweightedboardforaddedpressureifnecessary;usewaxedpapertopreventgluefromstickingtotheboard.

Hereisthefinishedwashi-fabriccomposite,readyforuse.

Foldtherectangleinhalf,shortedgetoshortedge.

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Fold thisagain, this time intoequal thirds.Creasebypinching in thecenter first.Alwaysfoldfromthecentertotheedges.

Flatten,andthencreasewell.

Openthefoldedrectangle.Closethefourthpaneloverthethird(countingfromtheleft).

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Panelsthreeandfourarehidden.

Foldthebottompanelupandburnish.

Usinganawl,punchsmallholesalongeachedgeforstitches.Spacetheholesevenly,butmaketheholesatthetopandbottomclosertotheends,sothatthestitchingwillholdthe

layers tightly together at the corners. Coordinate the numbers and placement of the holesaccordingtothepatternordesignonthepaper.

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Usingheavyweightthreadandaneedle,stitchthepanelsofthewallettogether,securingeachendwithsturdyknots.Thisparticulartypeofstitchalsobindstheedges(asitdoes

intheSewn-BoundWashiBookprojectonpage120).

Foldover the top left cornerof theopen flap.Make thesideedgeparallel to the loweredgeandallowaspaceofapproximately2inch(1cm).

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Foldtheoppositecorneracrossthefirst,formingapointatthetop,asshown.

Tuck the rest of the flap beneath the upper layer, to finish the edge. The off-centeredcorneriseasytohandle.(Left-handedpeoplewillwanttofoldthemirrorimageofthese

lastfewsteps.)

Foldtheflapoverthefront......andthencrease.

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Toclosethewallet,justtuckthefoldedflapinsidethepocketatthebase.

Hereisabottomorbackviewoftheclosedwallet.

Hereisatoporfrontviewoftheclosedwallet.

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CRANE’SEGGMODULARBOX

DesignedbyRichardL.AlexanderanddemonstratedbyMichaelG.LaFosse

his modular box can be a useful table decoration, vessel, gift box, orhanging ornament. The model is infinitely variable. It shows off bothsidesofthewashi,soitisagreatmodeltofoldfrom“duo”(ortwo-color)

papers,orsheetsofcolorfulwashibondedback-to-back(see theback-coatinginstructions on page 46). When made small, these modular forms make

1

distinctive earrings.When made large, they can be used to decorate holidaytables.

Beginwiththreesheetsofsquarepaper,allthesamesize.Foldeachofthethreesquaresinhalftoformthistriangularshape.Thesideshowingwillbecometheoutercornersofthe

Crane’sEgg.Thephotosshowinexpensive,duoorigamipaperforclarity.

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Foldthetriangleinhalf,andthenopenitbacktothelargertriangle.Repeatallstepswiththeothertwopieces.Turnthemodelover.

This is the orientation with the right angle pointing toward you and the centerline ridge(mountainfold)facingup.

Fold the tipof the rightangle (only the top layerofpaper)up to thecenterof the foldeddiagonal. (This is the flap thatcanbevaried toproducean infinitenumberofdecorative

faces.)

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Foldupeachofthetwocutedgesoftheindicatedlayer,sothateachedgeisparalleltothetopedge.(Thetwofoldsmeetatthecenterline.)

Foldthetopcornerdown,sothetiptouchesanimaginary lineconnectingthetwoedgesshowninstep5.

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Re-creasethecenterline,foldingthepaperinhalfasshown.

Open.

Foldthecornersfromeachsidedowntomeetatthelowestcorner inthecenter.Creasesharply.

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Openeachflaptoformrightanglesattheleftandrightvalleycreases.Restorethecenterfoldtocuptheshape,sothetwosideanglescometogether,formingtheshapeofaparty

hat.

Hereisthecompletedelement.

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15

Insert eachof thenarrowcornersat the split end intoapocketon the front of anotherpiece.(Keepthetopsofthepartyhatspointingout.Keepthenarrowcornersoutuntilthey

canbeinsertedintothepocketsofanotherpiece.)Insertthethirdpieceintothesecondinthesamemanner.

Finally,bring thecorners from the firstpiecearound,and tuckeachone into respectivepocketsofthelastpiece.

HereisthefinishedCrane’sEggModularBox.

ToopentheCrane’sEggModularBox,simplysqueezethepoles.

Thesetwincranesfeelrightathomenexttothisegg!

PERSONALIZEDSPACES

Tato VaseCover DesktopOrganizer”Ceramic”FormwithChirigi-e TulipBowlHurricaneBowl Sewn-BoundWashiBook

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TATO


he tato (pronounced tah toe) is a pleated coin purse. Numerous designshavebeendevelopedbyorigamiartists,andmoredurabletatosareoftenfolded from leatherwhenused for coins.Thepurseopens like a flower

whenyoupullitfromtwooppositepoints.Colorfulwashitatosmakeexcellentholders for small items, such as stamps and coins, and they can be quiteelaborate.This simple design is one you canmake fromyour favoritewashi.Useitdaily,giveittoafriend,mailit,orsimplyenjoyitasadecorativewaytokeepsmall,preciousitems.

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Useasquarepieceofwashi,10to12inches(25to30cm).Divideitintosixteenwedges,like this: Begin by folding it in half diagonally each way and then edgewise each way

(eighths).Completethedivisionsbyfoldinginhalfbetweenallexistingcreases.(Lineuponecrease over its adjacent crease, fold, and repeat. All of the creases go through the centerpoint.)

Cuteachofthecornersasindicatedtocreatearegularoctagon.

Placethebottomedgealongthecenterline.

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4Foldbetweentheindicatedcreases.Unfold.Repeatwithallotheredges.

Begin toclose thepurseby refoldingeachedge to thecenter (step1).Move thecornerinward(step2)andflatten.

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Repeatwitheachcorner,workingyourwayaround.Wehaveworkedclockwise,asshown.

Opentheshapetoallowyoutocompletefoldingthelastcorners.

Gatherallofthecornersandedgesinward.

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Flattentoclose,makingsureallpointslayinthesamedirection.

Hereisthecompletedwashitato.

Tocreateadecorative,two-coloredtrim,openthetatoandturnitupsidedown.

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Foldeachoutsidecornerinward,asshown.

Turnoverandre-closethetato.

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VASECOVER


his project introduces a simple way to construct a workable, shapeablewashicompositewithawatercolorcore.Withthistechnique,EastmeetsWest to provide a whole new, three-dimensional life for your most

wonderfulwashi.

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Covering otherwise mundane shapes, such as glass vases, with washi canmakeabeautifulhomeevenmore stunning.Thiswashivase cover is easy tomake,versatile,andelegant.Whendry,thevasecoverisaspringycoilandcanbeusedtohugavarietyofdifferentvasesizesandshapes.(Lookaheadatthephotos to seehow thisworks.)Why store a cabinet full of glass vases?Withthese washi covers you’ll only need one vase! Make several; they nest forstorage.

Materials

Twosheetsofwashi:onedecorativeandoneforaliningOnerectangleofwatercolorpaperGlueorpaste

Equipment

SpraybottleofwaterScissors(notshown)Gluebrush(ChinaBristle),3˝(8cm)wideDishforglueSharpblade(optional)

Gatheryourmaterials.Determinethesizeofpaperbyconsideringthesizeofthevaseorcontainer you want to cover. The rectangle’s length should be twice the widest

circumferenceof thevase,and the rectangle’swidthshouldbeat leastas tall as thevase.Trimthesheetssothattheouter,moredecorativepaperisabout2inch(1cm)largerineachdimensionthantherectanglesofwatercolorandthelinerwashi.

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2Usingthespraybottle,moisteneachofthepiecesuntileachfeelssoftbutnotwet.

Usethebrush toevenlyapplya layerofglue to thebackof the largest,mostdecorativerectangle,workingitfromthecentertotheedges.

Laythesmallerrectangleofwhitewatercolorpapersquarelyontothepastedbackof thedecorativewashi.

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Applygluetothebackofthewatercolorpapertoacceptthenextlayerofwashi.Foldovertheexcess,decorativepaperfromthebottomlayertofinishtheedges.Applymorepaste

tothedecorativemargins.

Laythemoistened,liningwashisquarelyontothepastedsurface,andpressgently.

Hereisthefinishedcompositeofwashi/watercolorpapercore/washi,readytouse.Itcanbeformednow,orlefttodrycompletely,andthenrewettedforlatershaping.

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While thewashicomposite ismoist,wrap it into the formofa taperedcylinder.Youmayalsowrapitaroundaglassvaseorevenawinebottle.Leavethetopslightlymoreopen,

sothatyoucaneasilyplaceorremovetheinsert.

Securetheformwithstripsofleftoverwatercolorpaperasshown.Allowtodrycompletelybeforeremovingtherestrainingstrips.

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Toset thecoil inanexactpositionorangle,youmaywant tosecuretheshapewithanoptionalslit:Usingasharpblade,createaslitjustlongenoughtoacceptonecornerfrom

theoutsideofthecoil.

Tuck the corner into the slit as shown. This method of securing the form allows it toremainadjustable.

Insertasuitablecontainer,and let thevasecoverdrycompletely. (Besure tochooseawaterproofcontainerifyouwillbeaddingcutflowers.)

13HereisthefinishedwashiVaseCover.

Y

DESKTOPORGANIZER(PEN/PENCIL/BRUSHHOLDER)


our workspace is a reflection of your personality. So many deskfurnishings are boring and bland; why not spruce them up with yourfavorite washi colors, textures, and patterns cleverly applied to useful

forms? These handy desk organizer forms are quick and easy to make, somakingseveralallowsyoutochangethemwiththeseasonsandholidays.Thesemodularelementscanbeeasilynestedwhenstored,thencombinedincreativeways to keep your work area fresh and exciting with useful, personalizedsculpture.(Theformshowncanalsobeusedasadecorativevasecover.)

Materials

DeskorganizercupsorfavoriteshapesyouwanttocoverWashiWatercolorpaperGlueorpaste

Equipment

1

SpraybottleofwaterScissorsGluebrush(ChinaBristle),3˝(8cm)wideDishforglue

Begin with a watercolor-core composite (see Vase Cover project on page 97 forconstructiondetails).Theprojectshownismadefroma long, taperingtrapezoid,butyou

maywanttorelatetheshapeofyourformtothewashiyouhavechosen.

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3

Moistenthecompositeifithasdried.

Formadoublecoil,witheachendrolledfromoppositedirections,resultingintwocylinders.

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Hereisthesideviewofthecoiledpiece.Restrainandsecuretheformwithclipsorstripsofpaperuntilcompletelydry.

Use another, shorter or longer strip to create a third cylinder, whichwill be attached byinsertionafterithasdried.

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Rolltightlyintotheformofacylinder,withtheshortestedgeontheoutside,andsecureitasbefore.Allowittodrycompletely.

Unroll thesinglecylinder justenoughto insert theoutsideedgeintothecoilbetweenthetwocylindersofthedouble-cylinderform.

8HereisthefinishedDesktopOrganizer.Insertacylindricalliner,suchasatallplasticglassor cup, or a suitable can. (Save a narrow, cylindrical plastic container from your drink

concentratesandpowders.)The linerswillprotectyourdeskand thewashi from inkpenorpencilpoints.

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“CERAMIC”FORMWITHCHIGIRI-E

DesignedanddemonstratedbyMichaelG.LaFosseandRichardL.Alexander

hisversatilestyleof“pottery”usesnokilnandnoglazes,anditcreatesnohazardous emissions! Products such as Celuclay are mixtures of finelyshredded paper (processed almost to a powder) and binding agents that

reactwithwatertoformahardbutlightweightmassofcellulosewhendry.Asworkable as clay, it is widely used in papier mache projects. This productallowstheartisttomakelightweightobjectsofanyshapeandsizequicklyandeasily.

This project demonstrates an art form the Japanese call chigiri-e, or “tornpaper pictures,” enabling the artist to use the infinite palette of colors andtexturesofwashiinwaysthatcannotbedonebyselectingonlyasheetortwo.Hereisaperfectchancetoshowcaseeventhesmallestscrapsofyourfavoritewashi,settingthemoffinacompletelydifferentcontext.Apieceofdeepbluewashi remindedmeof amountain lake, sonowa small scrapof this favoritepaperbecomes thatpristinepool!You, theartist, are incontrolof the shapes,shadows,andeventhemassofthewashiyouchoosetohonorthroughyourart.

Materials

Washiofyourchoice(notshown)Celuclaypowdermixture(availablefrommostnationalartsupplychainstoresandcataloghouses)

Aluminumfoil(orwaxedpaper)Glueorpaste(notshown)Water

Equipment

Rollingpin,thickwooddowel,orpipeBoards(asthickasyouwantyourslabstobe)MixingbowlButterknife(notshown)Dinnerfork(notshown)Paperandpencil,orcomputer(formakingshapetemplates)(notshown)Dustmask(notshown)Gluebrush(notshown)Coarsesandpaper

1Gentlyaddwatertothepowderinabowl.(Whenworkingwithanydustymaterial,alwayswearadustmask.Considerworkingoutdoors,orunderaventilationfan.)

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2Kneadandaddwateruntilthedoughisauniformandworkableconsistency.

Patthedoughintoashallowtroughlinedwiththealuminumfoil,backedonthesideswiththeboards.(Youmaychoosetobringthefoilupthesidesof thewood, if thefoil iswide

enough.Thiswillpreventthedoughfromstickingtothewood.)Thethicknessofyourslabwillbecontrolledbythethicknessoftheboardsyouchoose.Weoftenuseleftoverstripsofthickfoamcore.

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Coverthedoughwithanotherpieceofaluminumfoil.

Roll the slab evenly between the aluminum foil as the sides are contained within theboards.Worktheexcessdoughtooneendortheotherofthetrough.

Removethealuminumfoiltorevealthedoughslabofuniformthickness.

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Allowtheslabtosetorrestforafewhours(moreorless,dependingonthetemperatureandhumidity).Afteritisfirm,butnotdry,layoutthetemplatesforyourchosendesign.This

examplewillbea rustic,nearlysquarevasewith roundedcorners.Thisshapewaseasy tomakeonacomputer.Justprint,andthencutouttheshapesfromregularprinterpaper.

Thesearelong,uniformstripswewilluseasthesidewallsofthevase.The“volcano”formontheleftwillbemybottle’sneck.Thesecomponentsneedafewmorehourstodrybefore

theyaresufficientlyfirmtohandle.(Youcanalsocontrolthedryingtime.Coveringthematerialwithplasticwillretardthedryingifyoumustleaveforanextendedperiod.)

Score(roughen)theedgeswithadinnerforkwhilethedoughisfairlyeasytowork(beforethepiecesdrytoomuch).Thiswillhelpensuregoodcontactwhenthepiecesarejoined.

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Install the vertical walls, smoothing the seams to ensure good contact between thepieces.

Removeenoughmaterialatthetopsidetoaccommodatetheneck.Allowallofthepiecestodry,makingsuretheyarequitefirmbeforeyouassemblethem.

Mix,form,andthenapplyathinropeofmoistdoughtotheedgesofthesidewalls.Theotherslabsidewillbeplacedontopoftherope.

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Placetheothersidewallonthemoistrope.Smooththeseamsasbefore.Noticethatthesideslabisstiff.

Affixtheneckoverthehole.Usemoistdoughtofillanygaps.Youmayalsoattachitwithglue if thefit issnugenough.Whencompletelydry, thevasecanbesmoothed,carved,

sanded,orworkedinamultitudeofways,dependingonyourvisionofthefinalproduct.Iwantminetobeprimitive,becausethewashithatIselectedisearthy,withbitsofunprocessedplantfiber.

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Withmoistdough,patchanycracksthatmayappearduringdrying.

Shapewithcoarsesandpaper.Smoothasdesired.

Applytornpatchesofwashiwithglue,creatingyourownpicture.Ithelpstomoistenthepaperwhereyouwanttotearit.

18Hereisthefinished“ceramic”form,achigiri-evase!

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TULIPBOWL

DesignedbyRichardL.AlexanderanddemonstratedbyGregMudarri

hisTulipBowldemonstrateshowyoucanimpartwhateverqualitiesandstrengths you need into the washi with simple composite constructiontechniques. Richard designed this origami tulip for a field of paper

flowersintwelveretailstorewindows(SaksFifthAvenueinNewYorkCity).Unlike the traditional origami tulip design (which is folded from a blintzedpreliminary form), his is a more dynamic design—a tulip with a twist. Thisdesignalso allowedus to efficientlypackhundredsofprefoldedblossomsbynesting one inside the next. Since his design has a flat base, it also worksbeautifully as a bowl when made from a large enough square. This projectdemonstrateshow to incorporate stiffness intoanobject thatwouldotherwisebe too structurallyweak touseasabowl. It also showshow it canbe fun torespect the printed pattern and incorporate it into the shape and style of thepiece.Herewehavetrimmedtheedgealongthewashi’sprinted,scallopedlineforadistinctiveandpleasingeffect.

Materials

Twosheetsofwashi—selectcolorsthatcomplementoneanother,becauseonewillbetheoutersurfaceandonewilllinethebowl

AluminummeshwindowscreenAdhesive,glue,paste,orthermalbondingfilm(notshown)

Equipment

ScissorsorshearstocutthescreenandpaperStraightedgetoaidintrimmingthepapersquareThermaldrymountpress,orironandironingboard(notshown)

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Considerhowthetopedgeofyourbowlwouldbestrelatetothewashidesign.Oursamplelendsitselftoascallopededge.

Cutthewashisquare.Thebowl’sheightwillbehalfthelengthoftheoriginalsquare,or5inches(13cm)highifyoustartfroma10-inch(25cm)square.Thewidestdistanceacross

thebowl(diagonally)willbe72inches(19cm).

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Cut the lining paper square. Leave a margin so that it is a little larger than the washisquare.

Cut the aluminum screen square, but make it about an inch smaller than the papersquares, for a good seal between the papers without the possibility of any sharp

protrusionsofwireattheedges.

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Stack the squares in this order (from the top): Front side of the lining washi, thermalbondingfilm,aluminumscreen,thermalbondingfilm,backofouterwashi.

Alignthecentersandcorners,andthenheatwithahandironoradrymountpress.Trimthe resulting composite (the bonded layers of washi with aluminum mesh sandwiched

between).Thisisthebackofthetrimmedcomposite,showingthegoldwashiweselectedfortheliningofthebowl.

Foldthelowercornerovertotheoppositesideontheright.Adjustthepointalongtheedgeuntilyoudefinetwoisoscelestrianglesinthebackingcolor,oneithersideofthecorneryou

broughtacross.Afteryouarefairlysurethatthetwoshortersidesofeachtriangleareequal,creasethecomposite.Trustyoureye.Thereisnoneedtomeasure,becausethisstepisself-correcting!

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Open,rotatethesheetcounter-clockwise90degrees,andthenfoldthecreasebackontoitself,touchingthenewcornerofthesquaretotheupperright-handsidewhilemakingsure

thenextcorner(shownatthetop)isalsoanisoscelestriangle.Thisimpartsacreaseexactlyperpendicular toyour firstcrease.Open.Rotate thesheetagain,andcreaseagain foreachcorner,andthenopen.Asyourepeatthiswiththeothercorners,eachofthecreaseswillalignwiththemselves.Whenopened,thepatternformsarotated“tic-tac-toe”board.

Allof thepre-creasesare inplace.Note the rotatedsquare in thecenter, formedby theintersectingpairsofparallelvalleyfolds.

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Ifyouwant to trim theedge,dosoafter thepre-creasing iscompleted, just incase thewashi layers shift while creasing. (We have cut along the pattern to form a scalloped

edge.)

Collapsethebowlateachsidebypushingthetopedgeneareachcorner,inwardandtotheleft,aligningthecorneredgewiththedoubled-backinsideedgeofthebowl.Pinchthe

layerstogether,formingamountainfoldfromthecorneroftherotatedboxatthecenterwhenthecut(top)edgesofthebowlalign.

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Thispinchformsadartoneachcornerofthebowl.Thisisthetopviewbeforedartsarelockedintoplace.

Rolltheuppercornerofeachdoubledlayerbehindthedart(insidethebowl)tolockitinplace.Eachlockeddartisfivethicknessesofcomposite!

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Pinchfirmlytocrimpthealuminumscreenmeshinsidethecomposite.(Forlargerbowlsrequiringstiffermesh,useamallettosetthedartlocks.)

HereisthecompletedwashiTulipBowl.

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HURRICANEBOWL


neofthemostintriguingthingstomeishowaflatplanetransformsintoaspectacularformwithjustasimplecutandtwist.Thisbowlwillshowoffyourfavoritewashibyincorporatingboldlinesandcurvestoaccent

the colors. Your ultimate needswill dictate howmuch reinforcementwill berequired.Washibackedwithwatercolorpaperisquitestiff,butafruitbowlmayrequireback-coating to apieceofwoodveneeror evenaplastic laminate. Inthisinstance,youmayalsowanttobacktheothersideofthebowl.Beginwithastifflyback-coatedsquareofwashi.Decidewhichwashiyouwanttofeatureontheinsideofthebowl.

Materials

Squareofback-coatedwashiorcomposite

Equipment

Scissors

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StraightedgeGlueorpasteGluebrushCompass,orrounddishtoserveasatemplateSmallspringclipsorspring-typeclothespinsPencil

Measure the length of the square. Mark eachmidpoint. Multiply the length by 0.667 todeterminethediameterofacircle(measuringtwo-thirdsofthelengthofthesquare).Using

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apencil,drawthecircleontheundersideofthewashi,soitintersectsthesideofthesquareatthemidpoint.Ifyouhaveadishwithadiameterclosetotwo-thirdsofthesquare,itwillserveasausefultemplateandsavetime.

Repeatuntilallfourcircleseachintersecttheirsideofthesquareattheirmidpoints.

Usingastraightedgeandapencil,describeasmallersquareareaaroundthecenterofthepaper,withitscornersatthefourpointswhereadjacentcirclesintersect.

Begintocutalongacircleinonlyonedirection,fromthecenterofaside.

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Rotateandcutthroughthenextcircle,cuttinginthesamedirection,butstopatthecorneroftheinnersquare.Repeatthisateachsideofthesquarepieceofwashi.

Cuttingiscomplete.Thebowlcenterhasbeenpoppeduptoshowtheresultingform.

Thisisthebackside,poppedup.Notethatthebusierpatternobscuresthecutlines.

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Applygluetotheportionofthetipthatwillcontacttheadjacentflap.

Alignthetwocurvededgesofcutpaper,thenslidethegluedpointtothedesiredposition,andthenclampwithasmallspringclip.Usingthesamealignment,repeatateachofthe

foursides.

Smallspringclipsallowthegluedflapstodryinplace.

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Removetheclipsafterthegluehasdried.Thereinforcedrimcircumscribesthebottomofthesquarebase.

Theinsideofthefinishedbowlisawashwithflyingcranes.

Ifyourwashihasabusypattern,asthisdoes,whynotsetoff thecurvedshapesofthecuts by inserting complementary arcs of composite? Just measure the straight line

distance(cord)acrossthecurvedpartofthebowlthatshows.Thenmakeorfindatemplate

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(suchasadishwiththesamediameterastwo-thirdsofyouroriginalsquare),anduseittocutfourarcsfrompiecesofleftoverwashicomposite.Thearcs’straightlinedistance(cord)mustmatchthemeasurement.

Laythedishortemplateontotheedgeofthescrapcompositetomatchthelengthofthecord.Markalongtheedgeofthetemplate,andthencutoutfour.

Pasteand insert thenewarcsupsidedown,between thecurved lips toaccentuate theshapesofthecurveswiththebackcolorshowingontheinsideofthebowl.

16HereisthefinishedwashiHurricaneBowl.

E

SEWN-BOUNDWASHIBOOK


venthoughmorepeoplehaveprobablytriedwritingbooksthanhavetriedmakingthem,itismucheasiertomakeabookthantowriteone!Peoplesay,“Don’tjudgeabookbyitscover”;however,oftenwedojudgebooks

by their covers, andwashimakes not only distinctive covers but exceptionalpages.

Thedesignofthisbookallowsyoutoprintdirectlyontothewashiandthen

foldthepagesforadoubledthickness.Thispreventstheprintingfromshowingthrough thedelicatewashi, and itmakes theexposededgesof thebookmoredurablebecausetheyareallfolded.Traditionally,printingwastransferredtothepagebypressingthepaperagainstaninkedwoodblock,sofoldedpageswerecommon:Woodblockprintingisbestdoneononlyonesideofasheet;atwo-sidedprintedpageisaccomplishedbyafoldinthemiddleofthesheet,formingback-to-backprinting.

Ifyouplantousethebookasanheirloomortreasuredkeepsake,othersmallmementos, such as photos, can be inserted between the pages of this bookwithoutcontactingtheprinting.

Materials

Washi(momigamiworksgreatforthefrontandbackcovers)Good-quality,naturalcolorKozo,Mitsumata,orGampifiberpaperforthepagesofthebookThread(carpetthreadorbinder’slinenthreadsareofsuitableweight)Glueorpaste

Equipment

Needle(anupholsteryneedleorbookbinder’sneedleworksbest)ScissorsStraightedgeCarpenter’ssquareFoldingtoolAwl(orothersmallholepunch)GluebrushComputerandprinter

1Gathereverything youwill need forwhatever sizebook youdesire.Be sure toallowanextra inch of paper for edge overlap when selecting your washi for the covers. When

selectingthewashiforthebook’stextpages,rememberthateachpagewillbedoubled,sobesuretopurchaseormakeenough.

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Lookcarefullyatbothsidesofthepaperthatyouwilluseforyourpages:Thesideofthesheetthatwasincontactwiththedryingsurfacewillbesmoothandeven;theotherside

willprobablyhaveaslightlyroughertexture,andyoumaybeabletoseemarksmadebythebrushusedtoapplythesheettothedryingsurface.Foracrispimage,itisbesttoprintonlyonthesmoothsideofthepaper.Afterprinting,thewashiisfoldedinhalftoproduceapagethatappears tobeprintedfrontandback,with thepage’soutsideedgeactuallybeingthe foldededge.

Foldthewashiinhalf,smoothsideout.Useafoldingtooltoburnishthecrease.

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Cutthepagestothedesiredheight,makingsurethatheightwillfitthroughyourprinter.Wehavetrimmedoffthedeckleedges.

Loadyourwashiintoasheet-fedprinter.Thisoneisanink-jetprinter.(Alaserprintercanbeused,butnotethatitwon’tworkaswellonwashithatissoftandfuzzy.)

Noticethattheprintedimageappearsonthesideofthesheetwiththemountaincrease.Yourpagesmaybeprinted,orleftblankforjournalentries,stories,poems,ornotes.Blank

booksalsomakegreatgiftsasscrapbooks,photoalbums,anddiaries.Theycanbemadeany

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size,becausetheydonotneedtobeinsertedintoaprinter.

Cut thecover tosize.Mycoverstockwillbecut1 inch(3cm) larger thanthesizeof thepages,whichwillallowa2-inch(1cm)marginallaround.Splittingthedifferenceiseasier

whenusingacarpenter’ssquare.

Placeoneofthecutpaperpagesinthecenterofthecover.Tracetheoutlineofthepageontothebackofthecoverwithapencil.

Alongtheselines,pre-creasethefolds,doingtwooppositesidesfirst.

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Pre-creasethetwoothersides.

Snipthecornerssothelayerswillnotbuildupwhenyoupastethemarginsovertheinsidesurfaces.

Applythegluetothefoldedmargins,usingabrush.

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Useone foldedpageas an inside cover. Lay the inside cover surface onto the pastedmargins.Repeatthisprocessforthebackcover.

Pressfirmly,andthenallowittodryunderpressure.

Align all the pages and covers,making sure that the folded edges point outward. Thefoldsareyourfinishededges,andwillnotbebound.

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Useanawltopunchholeswhereyouwillbestitchingthebinding.Refertothediagramsatrightfortheholeplacementandsewingmethod.

Now follow steps 1 through 16, shown on the facing page, in the sewingmethodforthewashibook.

Thisisaviewofthesewingmethodforbindingyourbookasshowninsteps1–5onthefacingpage.

18Thisisaviewofthesewingmethodforbindingyourbookaftercompletingstep16showninthediagram.

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Pullthethreadtight.

Tieoffthetwoendsofthethread,hidingtheknotinsidethebinding.

Cutofftheexcessthreadaftertheknothasbeentied.

22HereisthefinishedSewn-BoundWashiBook!

BIBLIOGRAPHY&RESOURCES

AllJapanHandmadeWashiAssociation.HandbookontheArtofWashi.Tokyo:Wagami-do,K.K.,1991.

Araki, Makio. Nihon no Orikata Shuu [A Collection of Japanese FoldingMethods].Kyoto:Tankousha,1995.

Barrett, Timothy. Japanese Papermaking: Traditions, Tools, Techniques.NewYork:WeatherhillInc.,1992.

Farnsworth,Donald.Momigami.Oakland,CA:MagnoliaEditions,Inc.,1997.Hughes, Sukey. Washi, The World of Japanese Paper. New York, Tokyo:

KodanshaInternational,1978.Hunter, Dard.Papermaking: TheHistory and Technique of an Ancient Craft.

New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1943. Reprint, New York: DoverPublications,Inc.,1978.

Keeton,WilliamT.BiologicalScience.NewYork:W.W.Norton&Co.,1967.LaFosse,MichaelG.AdvancedOrigami:AnArtist’sGuidetoPerformancesin

Paper.Rutland,VT:TuttlePublishing,2005.LaFosse,MichaelG.PaperArt: TheArt of SculptingwithPaper.Gloucester,

MA:RockportPublishers,Inc.,1998.

CarriageHousePaper79GuernseyStreet,Brooklyn,NY11222DonnaKoretskywww.carriagehousepaper.comCarriage House Paper Museum and Research Institute of Paper History &

Technology8EvansRoad,Brookline,MA02445ElaineKoretskywww.papermakinghistory.org

DieuDonnePapermill315West36thStreet,NewYork,NY10018

http://www.carriagehousepaper.com

http://www.papermakinghistory.org

www.dieudonne.org

TheFriendsofDardHunter,Inc.P.O.Box773,LakeOswego,OR97034www.friendsofdardhunter.org

OrigamiUSA15West77thStreet,NewYork,NY10024www.origami-usa.org

OrigamidoStudiowww.origamido.com

http://www.dieudonne.org

http://www.friendsofdardhunter.org

http://www.origami-usa.org

http://www.origamido.com

Japanese paper crafting michael g lafosse

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